Creating Love
by Satan-wears-prada
Summary: '"Who knew you'd turn out to be the good guy," Addison whispered as she let her head rest against Pete's shoulder and she gave his hand a small squeeze.' Pete and Addison decide to enter parenthood together as friends but things aren't quite that simple.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: So, in order for all of our stories to be updated and it not take me years to get them all up, I've decideed as soon as we've finished writing a story, I'm going to update it. There's going to be a lot of stories on the go I think so you'll have to bear with me :)

Summary: It starts from where Addison tells Pete he's the good guy. They decide to have a baby together but it's not that simple for either of them.

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><p>"Who knew you'd turn out to be the good guy," Addison whispered as she let her head rest against Pete's shoulder and she gave his hand a small squeeze.<p>

He smiled softly at her words and leaned his head against hers, covering her hand with both of his. "Well, thanks."

"It's true," she murmured and looked down at their entwined hands.

"I'm glad I'm not as bad as I first seemed," Pete spoke softly. Addison nodded slightly and a silence settled over the pair of them for a few minutes before Addison broke it.

"I want a baby," she whispered. "I want to be a mum."

"You do?" He couldn't hide the surprise in his voice as he replied.

"Yes, but I've missed my chance." She sighed sadly and began to trace patterns on the back of his hand that she held.

"You don't know that. If you really want it, you shouldn't give up."

"I have two eggs left, Pete," Addison reminded him and then squeezed her eyes shut at the memory.

"Two eggs means there is still a chance."

"A very little chance. Anyway, I have no one to have a baby with. I'd have to use a sperm donor and that takes time. Time I don't have." She sighed again and curled further into his side.

Pete gave a small sigh and looked down at their hands as he brushed his fingers over hers gently. "I don't want to see you give up on something that means so much to you."

"It's my own fault," she spoke quietly and shrugged. "I did this to myself, no one else. I only have me to blame."

"Don't do this to yourself." He shook his head. "There is no way you could have known." Addison shrugged again and let out a sigh. A silence settled over the pair once more before Pete moved his head and looked down at her.

"Why don't we do it together?"

"What?" She frowned and looked up at him.

"Me and you have a baby together." He looked back at her. "You won't need to find a sperm donor; I'll do it with you."

Addison pulled back from him slightly and studied his face. "You're serious?"

"Yes." Pete nodded. "We're friends. Neither of us is seeing anyone right now. I don't see why it shouldn't work out."

"We'll have a baby _together_. A life that depends on _us_. We'll have to sort out who gets the baby on what days and all."

"We can figure that all out when we get there. We live close to each other, we get along. I think we can do this."

"You really want a baby with me?" she asked and felt her hopes rise.

"I do." Pete looked down at her and nodded. "I want to do this with you."

"Why?" She couldn't help but ask.

"I'm not getting any younger." He shrugged. "Who knows if I'll ever get the chance to be a father? And I know how much you want this. I think it could really work out."

"You're sure?" She hesitated. She wanted to jump for joy.

"I am." Pete nodded. "I mean, if you want to."

"I do. I do. I really do. I just want to make sure that you're sure as well."

"I'm sure," he repeated. "We should try and have a baby together."

"We're going to have a baby," she whispered as her lips curved into a huge grin. "We're going to have a baby!" She squealed happily and wrapped her arms tightly around his neck.

Pete smiled at her reaction and slid his hands to her back as they hugged. "We are."

Gently, Addison cupped his face before she tenderly kissed him. "Thank you," she whispered. "Thank you."

"No need to thank me," he spoke softly.

"Oh, there is." She nodded. "You're going to give me something amazing."

"We'll both get something amazing out if it." Pete brushed a strand of hair behind her ear. "We should go and talk to Naomi about it tomorrow."

"Yes." Addison nodded. "First thing in the morning we'll see her. We have no time to waste. We'll have to start treatment as soon as possible."

"We will," he agreed. "We'll do whatever it takes."

"I can't believe this is actually going to happen." She couldn't wipe the grin off her face. She was finally going to get her baby. "We're going to have a baby."

"We are." Pete smiled back widely. "We'll be parents."

"Thank you," she whispered and turned to look at Pete. "You really are the good guy."

He smiled softly as he looked at her and took hold of her hand once more. "You're welcome."

"You have no idea how much this means to me, Pete."

"Oh, I think I do."

Addison smiled and squeezed his hand again. "I don't think I'll be able to sleep now," she admitted. "I'm all excited."

Pete smiled softly as he watched her. She looked so happy. "Well, we could grab some food on our way home?"

"Pizza?" she asked. "I haven't had that in a while."

"Sounds good." He nodded.

"Great!" Addison grinned and stood from the couch before she slid her shoes onto her feet. Pete got up as well before he stretched out and they made their way out of the office.

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><p>Addison and Pete sat in a pizzeria after work and picked at their pizza. Addison pulled off a slice of her crust and popped it into her mouth as she thought.<p>

Pete took another bite and watched her in silence. "What are you thinking about?"

"Do you have anyone in your family called Elizabeth? Or Edward?" She pulled a face slightly.

He thought about it for a few seconds. "I don't think so. Why?"

"Good." She nodded. "I don't like those names so I wanted to make sure you didn't want to name the baby after someone called that."

"I don't," Pete chuckled softly.

"That's a relief. Do you have anyone you might want to name the baby after?" she asked and titled her head to the side.

"I've never thought about that before," he admitted.

"I don't have anyone I would want to name the baby after."

"I don't think I do, either. We should come up with a name together."

"Good." Addison grinned happily and ate a slice of pizza. "So, what's your family like? Do you have any family traditions you want to pass on? Anything like that?"

"No." Pete shook his head, instantly. "No family traditions."

"Me either. I'd rather not pass on some of my family's traditions," she admitted. "I want to start afresh."

"Me too." He gave a small smile. "Starting afresh sounds perfect."

"Great!" Addison grinned before she bit into another slice of pizza. Pete nodded and smiled softly at her enthusiasm as he watched her. "We'll need to figure out when you'll have the baby." She titled her head to the side as she thought.

"Isn't it too early to think about that? We'll figure it out when we get there."

"I just want to be prepared." She looked at him.

"We've got nine months to prepare ourselves." He smiled softly.

"I might not get pregnant straight away," she spoke, quietly.

"I know." He nodded and reached across the table to cover her hand with his. Addison looked down at their hands and fought the urge to cry. "Hey," Pete spoke softly and squeezed her hand. "You're not alone, okay? We'll do this together." She nodded slowly and didn't trust herself to speak in case the flood gates opened. "We both know it won't be easy, but don't give up okay? I'm here for you for whatever you need."

"Thank you," she whispered. "Thank you."

"I'm your friend. You don't have to thank me." He gave her hand another squeeze.

"I do." She nodded. "I really do."

"I want to do this with you."

"I know you do and it means a lot to me that you want to."

"Oh, come on." Pete smiled. "Imagine a little boy or a little girl with your hair and my eyes or the other way around. Our babies are going to be adorable."

Addison began to laugh and smiled at him. He was right. Pete grinned and let go of her hand to take another slice of pizza, happy that he was able to cheer her up.

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><p>So, what do you all think?<p> 


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: So glad that there is an interest in this story :) We had a lot of fun writing it! So, the real fun starts here!

Also, to help solve the whole uploading all of our stories issue, Nina, username saci on here the link to her profile is on my profile, is uploading some of our newer stories as well. Please, go check them out :)

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><p>The next morning, once Pete and Addison had both arrived at the practice, they made their way to Naomi's office to talk to her right away. Addison couldn't help the grin that her lips had curved into and laughed when Naomi looked slightly frightened.<p>

"What is it?" Naomi looked between the two of them. "Why is she looking at me like that?" She pointed at Addison which made the redhead laugh even more.

"We need to ask you something." Addison continued to grin and sat down on the couch in Naomi's office.

"Okay." She nodded slowly and leaned back in her chair.

"We've decided to have a baby, together," Addison announced happily.

Naomi's eyes widened at her friend's words. "You… what?"

"We've decided to have a baby," Addison repeated. "We both want to be parents, we're both single, we know each other so why not?"

"A baby is a huge responsibility." Naomi looked at the two of them. "I know that you two would make wonderful parents but have you really thought this through? You're going to be part of each other's life _forever_. You are actually going to have created something that is part of both of you."

"Nae, we know all that. We know what we're getting ourselves into. We both want this. We really want this." Addison looked at her friend. "But we need your help."

Naomi sighed and looked at Pete before back at her best friend. "What if you find someone else? I mean, someone you really want to be with."

"It's not going to change anything." Addison shrugged. "Pete and I will still have a baby together."

"We know what we're doing," Pete assured Naomi. "We really want to do this."

"Please, Nae, will you help us?" Addison begged.

Naomi looked at them in silence and rested her arms on the desk in front of her. "If you're sure."

"We wouldn't be asking you if we weren't." Addison squeezed hold of Pete's hand.

"Alright then." She nodded. "I'll help you get pregnant."

"Thank you, Nae, thank you so much." Addison grinned widely again.

"I can't promise anything, though." Naomi watched them. "But I'll do everything I can."

"That is all we are asking."

"We'll start the IVF treatment as soon as possible."

"We could start today," Addison suggested and looked at Pete. She didn't want to waste any time. She'd done enough of that already.

"There's something else though." She looked at them. "When a patient chooses to get pregnant by a sperm donor there's no other way but IFV, but when couples who want to get pregnant come to me I usually suggest they keep trying to conceive naturally as well to increase the changes of a pregnancy." Naomi watched their reactions wearily.

"Oh." Addison's mouth made an o shape and she slowly turned to look from Naomi to Pete and then back again. "Naturally? That increases the chances?"

"Of course it does." Naomi nodded. "We can start the IVF treatment and monitor your cycle to know when the chances are the highest."

"Okay." Addison nodded. "That's great."

"So, you're going to try it both ways?" She looked at the two of them.

"We hadn't thought about that before," Addison admitted and looked back at her friend.

"Well you can still figure that out." Naomi looked at her calendar. "I've got a cancellation at ten. Do you want to run the tests then?"

"That would be perfect, thank you." Addison smiled and nodded before she looked at Pete.

"Do you need anything from me as well?" Pete looked over at Naomi.

"Just your sperm." Naomi flashed him a smile.

Pete couldn't hide the smirk that formed on his lips. "You'll have it by tomorrow."

"Oh so cocky." Naomi rolled her eyes. "Don't go wasting any now."

"I'll try not to." He smiled.

"Good." Naomi nodded. "I'll have everything ready for you by ten." She smiled.

"I've got to go see my first patient." Pete looked down at Addison. "Do you want to have lunch together?"

"That sounds good." She nodded as they made their way from Naomi's office. "We've got a lot to talk about."

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><p>Pete and Addison sat across from each other in a café close to the practice when a waiter approached them and took their order. Once they were left alone, Addison turned to face Pete and placed her hands down on the table in front of her.<p>

"So," Pete looked back at her and tapped his fingers against the table.

"We should talk." She nodded.

"We should," he agreed. "What do you think of Naomi's suggestion?"

"I…she's right. Naturally will improve our chances, but if it will make things too awkward for us we don't have to."

Pete nodded and looked down at his hands on the table as he thought about it. "The last thing I want is for us to be awkward around each other. But, I mean, we're both adults."

"We are," Addison agreed and nodded. "What do you think?"

"I think we should consider it. I mean if we can both be grown up about the situation and we, you know, keep it about the baby, then I think it could work."

"You're right and if it doesn't feel right then we don't have to carry on." She shrugged.

"We don't." Pete nodded.

"So," Addison shifted in her seat and looked at Pete, "do you want to wait until we start IVF or shall we start now?"

"Well, did Naomi find out when you're...you know...ovulating?" He looked back at her.

"I'm ovulating next week."

"Okay, then when would be the best time for us to try?"

"Anytime, I guess." She shrugged. "It doesn't matter when we start, so long as we're trying when I ovulate. I think we'd stand a better chance if we…you know…tried quite a lot."

"Yeah, you're right." Pete nodded slowly. "I guess we could start...today?"

"If you're free." Addison nodded.

"Your place?" He looked at her.

"Sure. Shall I make us some dinner?"

"Dinner sounds fine." Pete nodded.

Addison smiled softly. "What shall I make?"

"Anything, really. I'm not picky."

"I'll see what I have. Pete, I think that for now, we should keep this between us."

"Sure, if you want." Pete nodded.

"Just in case, you know, it doesn't work out." Slowly, Addison lowered her gaze to her hands on the table. She didn't want to think of that outcome. She only wanted to think of the positive.

"We'll be fine." He watched her.

"I hope so," she whispered.

"We will," he assured her and put his hand on top of hers. Addison looked at their hands before up at his face. "It'll be fun." Pete looked back at her and his lips curved into a smirk.

"Fun?" Addison smiled in amusement and raised an eyebrow.

"If we let it." He gave a small shrug, the smirk never leaving his lips.

"Oh, what it must be like to be in the head of Pete Wilder." She picked up her glass and took a long sip of water. Pete smiled at her words and leaned back in his chair as they waited for their food.

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><p>Pete couldn't help but feel a little nervous as he lifted his hand to knock on Addison's front door that night. It felt like an eternity until Addison slowly opened the door and smiled a shy smile at him as he walked inside.<p>

"Hi." He gave a smile back and shrugged out of his leather jacket in the hallway. "Food smells really nice."

"I hope it tastes as good," she commented and padded back into the kitchen.

"I brought some wine." Pete held up the bottle as he followed her.

"Nae advised me off of alcohol for now." She smiled sheepishly as she began to dish up their food.

"Oh, right, sure." He nodded. "I hadn't thought of that."

"You can still have a glass, don't let me stop you." Addison reached into the cupboard and pulled out two glasses.

"It's alright." Pete shrugged. "Can I help with anything?"

"No, it's fine. You sit down. It's nearly ready." She smiled and continued to mill around the kitchen. He nodded and sat down as he watched her.

"Enjoy!" Addison announced a minute later as they both sat down to eat. Pete smiled as he lifted up his fork to take the first bite. She watched his face as she waited for his reaction to her cooking.

"Hmm, tastes good," he commented as he looked down at the plate.

"Good." She sighed in relief and began to eat as well.

"Were you worried?" Pete smiled.

"About cooking? Yes. I'm not a very good cook. I can do the basics and that's about it."

"Well, you definitely make good pasta."

"I'm glad." She smiled happily. Pete gave a smile back before he continued to eat.

Once they had both finished their pasta and had a slice of cake that Addison had bought especially, they moved into the living room. They sat down on the couch together and Pete cleared his throat.

"So," he began.

Addison nodded and tucked a strand of hair together. "Shall we go upstairs?" she asked.

"Sure." He nodded. "Wherever you're...more comfortable." She stood up from the couch and he followed her up the stairs and into her bedroom. Pete closed the door behind them before he turned and faced her.

"Are there any rules?"

"Rules?" Addison looked at him in confusion and titled her head to the side.

"Yeah, you know, like no kissing, for example." Pete looked back at her and tried his best to hide his nervousness. "I just don't want to do anything that makes you feel uncomfortable."

"Oh, I hadn't thought about that," she admitted. "I guess I have no rules. Do you?"

"No, I don't either." He shook his head and couldn't help but smile at the situation.

"Okay, I guess that's good." She nodded.

Pete nodded as well and took a few steps towards her. Addison watched him and took a step closer as well. He looked down into her face and hesitated before he leaned down to kiss her just as she moved her head as well. His kiss landed on her ear and she murmured an apology. Pete's forehead bumped against the side of her head and he pulled back slightly. She gingerly reached a hand up to rub her head and looked at him.

"I'm sorry," he apologised. "I didn't mean to."

"It's okay, I didn't realise." She shook her head before she leaned in to kiss him. Pete closed his eyes as he felt her lips on his and hesitated before he reached forward to place his hands on her hips as she took a step closer and placed her hands on his chest. He slowly deepened the kiss and tried to move them towards the bed when they both started stumbling. Addison lost her footing and tumbled straight onto the bed with a squeal.

"Damn, sorry." Pete pulled back and looked down at her.

"It's okay." She shook her head and felt her cheeks burn.

"This is ridiculous," he sighed. "I'm good at this. We're good at this, right?" Addison nodded and bit down on her bottom lip as she sat up. Pete nodded as well and moved onto the bed.

"This isn't working, is it?" She turned her head and looked at him.

"No, we can do this." He looked at her. "I can do it better."

"It just feels…awkward right now."

"Do you want to stop?"

"I don't know." Addison blushed and glanced down. "Maybe we should try going on a date? Maybe things will be easier."

"Well, this was kind of a date."

"I suppose." She nodded.

"If you want to try this another time, that's alright." Pete shrugged.

Addison looked at him for a few moments before she took his face in her hands and kissed him. Pete's eyes shut close and he began to kiss her back softly. Slowly, she pulled him closer until they were both lying on her bed. He deepened the kiss and slowly ran his fingers through her hair as he hovered above her. She let her fingers move down his chest and slip under his shirt so she could feel his muscles. Pete's stomach flexed at her touch and he moved one of his hands slowly down her side until he reached the hem of her jeans.

With a little more ease, they managed to explore the other's body and rid each other of their clothes. Once they lay skin to skin Pete very gently moved his hands to explore her naked body. Addison was amazed at the amount of excitement that just his touch aroused in her. His hands were everywhere while his lips gently worked on her neck and she could already feel his erection brush against her lower stomach. His movements were slow and gentle which seemed to arouse Addison even more as she explored his body. Pete's mouth moved down her chest and to her breasts while he settled between her thighs.

A satisfied moan left her lips as he joined their bodies together and they both forgot the fact that they were only doing it for the sake of making a baby. Their bodies moved together in a perfect way, Pete's movements gentle against hers. They came at the same time before they lay in each other's arms, not wanting to move. They were both breathing heavily, enjoying the bliss that followed the heights they had just reached.

"Do you…do you think we made a baby?" Addison spoke softly, her eyes still closed in pleasure.

"Hmm, maybe," Pete breathed against her neck. "We'll just keep trying." She slowly nodded and turned her face towards his. He looked at her and lifted a hand to brush a strand of hair behind her ear.

"You can stay here you want to," she whispered and opened her eyes. "Save you driving all the way home."

"Are you sure?" Pete watched her. "I've got to drive back home before work tomorrow either way, though."

"I've heard there's a myth that morning sex ends in pregnancy," she spoke, quietly.

"Really? I've never heard that before."

Addison shrugged as she looked at him. "It's old."

"Well, we should probably give it a try." Pete looked back at her. "Just in case it's true."

"We should." She nodded. "We need to try everything."

"We do," Pete agreed. "We need to try quite a lot as well. So, I'll stay, so we can try again in the morning."

"That sounds like a good idea," she whispered.

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><p>Addison wandered along the hallway of the practice the next morning and pushed open the door to Naomi's office. She smiled softly and sat down on the couch in there. "I'm not interrupting anything, am I?" she asked.<p>

"No, just catching up on some paper work." Naomi made a few notes in a patient's file before she looked up at her best friend and gave her a smile.

"Good. A great time for a chat then." Addison slipped her shoes off her feet and tucked her legs underneath her body.

"Sure." Naomi leaned back in her chair and looked at Addison, suspiciously. "I know that look. What happened?"

She shrugged and glanced down at the fresh bunch of flowers on the small table in the room. "We took your advice."

"You did?" Naomi smiled and raised an eyebrow.

"Pete came over to mine last night. I cooked us some dinner and then we tried." Addison nodded.

"And?" She looked at her, wanting more details.

"It was amazing. He was so gentle with me."

"Really?" Naomi's lips curved into a smile.

"Really." Addison couldn't help but grin. "He knew exactly what I liked and he didn't even have to ask me."

"Who knew Pete would be such a gentleman."

"He was different to how I imagined him," she admitted.

"But in a good way?" Naomi watched her friend.

"In a very good way." Addison nodded. "A _really_ good way."

"Oh you are so enjoying this now." Naomi grinned.

"No one said that I couldn't enjoy it at the same time," she pointed out. "It's not like I have anyone else to fulfil those needs now, do I? It's killing two birds with one stone. There's nothing wrong with that, is there?"

"I never said there was." Naomi shrugged. "If it's what you want and as long as you both know what you're doing. You're both grown-ups."

Addison nodded. "We're trying to make a baby. That is what all of this is about, nothing else."

"If you say so." Naomi nodded and watched her friend closely.

"Thank you for doing this, Nae. It means a lot."

"I'm your friend and I'm a doctor. It's my job."

"Still." Addison shrugged. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." Naomi gave a smile. "I know how much this means to you."

"I just really hope this works." Addison nodded and then let out a sigh. "I want to do something good in my life."

"You do good things every day, Addi."

"It's not the same." She shook her head. "It doesn't change my life really. I want to do something good that changes my life, not someone else's. I married Derek, but in the end I just ruined things for both of us. I did the same with Mark."

"I don't want you to get your hopes up only to end up disappointed. There's a chance, but it's a very slim chance," Naomi warned once again.

"I know there is and I've decided that if this doesn't work, I'll adopt."

"That's a great idea." Naomi smiled softly.

"Maybe I'll adopt anyway." She shrugged. "I've always wanted two children and I know that I may only end up with one by IVF so."

"Just give it some time first, it may take a while."

"I will." Addison nodded and looked at her friend.

"Good." Naomi smiled. "In the meanwhile you can enjoy the things that come with trying."

"_Exactly_." She grinned and then laughed.

Naomi smirked and shook her head at her friend. "You so have the hots for Pete," she giggled.

"No, I don't!" Addison protested.

"Oh you do, you are hot for Pete." She nodded. Addison rolled her eyes before she slid her feet back into her shoes and stood up. Naomi smiled and watched as her friend walked to the door that led out of her office.

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><p>Pete was sat on a stool in the kitchen that afternoon and sipped on his coffee while reading the newspaper when Sam walked in to grab something to eat.<p>

"Hey." Sam nodded his head in Pete's direction as he opened the fridge to get his own lunch out.

"Hey." Pete glanced up as he turned the page.

"Busy day?" Sam asked as he sat down.

"Quite day actually, just waiting for my last patient."

"Not too bad then." Sam nodded. "Are you up for a drink tonight? Apparently Naomi is going over to Addison's for a girl's night."

"Sure, sounds good." Pete nodded. "Your place?"

"I'll see if the other guys want to come. We can have a game of poker."

"Sounds good, I need the distraction."

"Distraction from what?" Sam looked at his friend in confusion.

"I've just been thinking a lot lately." Pete shrugged.

"Uhoh." Sam raised an eyebrow. "Everyone better be worried, Pete Wilder has been thinking."

"Shut up." He rolled his eyes. "It's my family. Ever since my brother showed up I've just been thinking."

"About your mum?" Sam questioned before he ate another mouthful of food.

"No, not her." Pete shook his head. "My father. I've been thinking about looking for him."

Sam lowered his fork, shocked. "Your father? I thought you didn't even know who he was?"

"I know, I don't." He shrugged. "It was just a thought, I don't know."

"Does your mum know who he is?"

"I don't know. I gave up on asking her about him a very long time ago."

"How will you find out who he is? You can't look for him until you know," Sam pointed out.

"I haven't really thought about that. I don't even know if I want to find him."

Sam nodded slowly and looked at his friend. He had no idea that Adam turning up had had such an effect on Pete. He also had no idea that the real reason behind Pete wanting to know his father was that there was a chance he would become one.

"I just think that maybe it would help." Pete shrugged. "Maybe I'm just being ridiculous."

"Help with what?" Sam questioned.

"Just to know who he is, where part of me came from."

"That's not being ridiculous. If that's what you want to know, then find him."

"Yeah." Pete nodded. "Maybe I will."


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Okay, I'm not going to be around this weekend to update so I thought I'd give you an update now. I hope when I get back home on Monday that my inbox is full of reviews *hint hint* :P Enjoy.

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><p>Addison was sat on one of the exam tables in the practice and watched Naomi prepare everything for the start of her hormone therapy. Addison took a deep breath and drew her attention to somewhere else in the office.<p>

"So," Naomi began as she stood at the counter. "How are things with you and Pete?"

"The same really." Addison shrugged and swung her legs slightly underneath the exam table.

Naomi nodded slowly. "That's good, I guess."

"It is," she agreed and nodded. Naomi looked down at the syringe and pulled it back before turning to face Addison. "I hate needles being put into me," Addison mumbled.

"I know." Naomi nodded. "But you'll have to get used to it."

"Just do it quick."

"I'll try." She took hold of her arm before inserting the needle. Addison had already looked away from her friend and was biting down on her bottom lip. Naomi pressed down on it and inserted the hormones before pulling the syringe back out. "All done."

"Good." Addison breathed in relief and pressed the cotton wool into her arm to stop the small bleeding. Naomi put the syringe away and took of her gloves before throwing them into the bin.

"I wish the process wouldn't take so long." Addison sighed and looked at her friend.

"Only a couple of weeks." Naomi gave a smile. "Gives you time to try naturally as well."

"I never should have taken it for granted."

"You wanted a career first. No one can blame you for that."

"Because I always believed that no matter what, I could still become a mother. I was wrong."

"You can still be a mum. Even if this won't work, there are other options."

"I know." Addison nodded. "I've already decided I'll adopt if this doesn't work."

"I know." Naomi nodded as well. "And I'm glad you did."

"Maybe I'll adopt anyway." Addison shrugged.

"Maybe you should. You'll make a great mum, Addi."

"You think so?" she asked quietly and looked up at her friend.

"I know so." Naomi gave her a reassuring smile.

"Thank you," Addison whispered and gave a small smile.

"Just telling you the truth." She shrugged. Addison smiled again and dropped the cotton wool from her arm. "Do you have time to hang out after work or do you already, you know, plans." Naomi smirked at the last part.

"Oh, we haven't actually mentioned it so we can hang out." Addison nodded. "Yours or mine?"

"Yours," she decided.

"Seven?"

"Sounds good."

"Great. Bring food." Addison grinned.

"I will, don't worry." Naomi nodded.

"So, am I free to leave now?"

"You are." Naomi nodded. "Get your butt to your patients, I've got my own." Addison laughed and shook her head at her friend. She hugged Naomi quickly before she left the office to see to her own patients.

* * *

><p>Addison sat on Pete's couch the next evening and looked around the living room. He had insisted on making dinner for them. There was a glass of wine for him and a glass of water for her on the table while Pete finished their food in the kitchen before serving it.<p>

"Do you need any help?" Addison called into the kitchen as she heard a noise.

"No, I'm fine. Nearly done," he called back. "You just sit."

Addison nodded and took a sip of her water before she stood up and wandered over to the mantle piece to look at the few photos there. There were photos of him with friends and some of his time in Africa and China. She noticed that there were no photos of his family and she couldn't help but wonder about them. She couldn't recall him ever really mentioning parents or siblings either. Carefully Addison picked up a photo of Pete and another guy and studied it.

"What are you looking at?" Pete's voice appeared behind her as he carried two full plates into the living room.

"Oh!" She jumped and turned to face him before she held the photo up for him to see. "Who are you with?"

He put the plates down on the table before he looked at the picture and gave a small shrug. "That's my brother."

"Your brother?" She looked surprised and looked back down at the two men. "You don't look alike."

"I know. He looks like my mother."

"And you look like your father?" she questioned and set the photo back down in its place.

"I don't actually know," Pete replied and she could tell that he was uncomfortable. Addison turned to face him and titled her head to the side. "I've never met my father," he explained at her questioning look before he sat down on the couch. "Dinner is ready."

She nodded and didn't pry anymore. "You're experimental with food?"

"A little." Pete smiled. "Why?"

She shrugged and sat down. "I'd never even dream of cooking something like this." She gestured towards the chicken in white wine sauce, carrots and baby potatoes.

"I can teach you some time." He shrugged. "People seem to like my cooking."

"That would be a good skill for being a mother." She smiled softly. "Thanks."

"No problem." He smiled back. "I can always cook meals once the baby is here."

"It's unfair for you to cook all the time."

"I don't mind cooking." Pete shook his head.

"But still," she protested. "It wouldn't be fair." She pushed some food onto her fork before she took a bite.

"Well, I'll try and teach you."

"This is really good." Addison swallowed. "Like really good."

Pete grinned at her reaction. "I'm glad you think so."

"Where did you learn to cook like this?"

"I taught myself." He shrugged. "I always loved food."

"That's impressive." She nodded before she took another bite. "Maybe I _will_ let you cook every night."

"You just said it's unfair for me to cook all the time." Pete grinned at her.

"That was before I tasted your cooking." Addison pointed her fork at him. "I now realise it would be a lot more beneficial for the baby if you were to be the cook."

"Oh really, just for the baby?"

"Yes." She nodded and continued to eat. Pete smiled and shook his head at her as he took a sip of his wine.

"So," she started after a few minutes of comfortable silence, "will our baby have any cousins to play with?"

"No." He shook his head. "Not that I know of, anyway."

"Do you not talk to your brother?" she questioned and looked up at him as they ate.

"Not much. I saw him a couple weeks ago but we barely hear from each other."

She nodded. "Do you not get along?"

"It's a little complicated." Pete gave a small shrug.

"What about your mum?"

"My mother I haven't seen in years." He looked down at his plate as he ate and talked. Addison watched him for a few moments before she looked down at her food as well. "If I tell you all about my family you'll probably change your mind about having a baby with me." Pete gave a sad smile.

"I'm sure it's not that bad. Anyway, I'm not having a baby with _them_, am I? I'm having a baby with_ you_."

"It's just hard to believe that I'm not anything like them, that's all."

"If you knew my family you might change your mind as well," Addison tried to reassure him.

"Oh I doubt that." Pete shook his head.

"How can you be so sure that if I knew your family I'd change my mind?" She raised an eyebrow and looked at him.

"I don't know." Pete shrugged. "I'm sure there are women that would."

"Will I ever meet them?"

"My mother is in jail." He looked up at her. He knew he'd have to tell her sooner or later, but he was dreading her reaction.

"In jail?" she repeated slowly and lowered her knife and fork. "Why?"

"She's an alcoholic," Pete began to explain. "Always has been. She's had a lot of men and the only father figure I ever had she killed in a drunken haze." Addison was speechless. She had no idea what to say or even how to react. "I know." He nodded as he saw the expression on her face. "Changed your mind yet?" She opened her mouth to say something but then closed it again as she looked at Pete. Pete could feel his heart sink at the reaction but he knew he shouldn't be surprised.

"I don't know what to say," she whispered. "I don't think there is anything I can say."

"Yeah, guess there isn't," he agreed and looked back down at his nearly empty plate.

"I don't want her anywhere near the baby." Addison shook her head. Pete looked at her and gave a small nod. "I don't want to worry every time she's with the baby. I don't want the baby to be exposed to an alcoholic."

"She's in jail. She's not going to be with anyone. I haven't seen her in years and that's not going to change."

"Okay." Addison nodded. "That's good."

"Yeah." Pete nodded as well. She reached across the table and took hold of his hand before she gave it a squeeze. He gave her a small smile. "I'm fine."

"I still want a baby with you, Pete. I'm having the baby with _you_, not your family."

"My family is a mess though. This must all sound so horrible to you."

"Mine aren't that much better," she admitted.

"I bet neither of them are in jail though."

"No." She shook her head. "They're not, but they're still not great people."

Pete looked at her and gave a small nod. "We'll make it better with our baby. We'll give them the life they deserve."

"We will," Addison agreed. "We'll give our baby the childhood both of us didn't have."

"We will." He smiled softly.

She smiled back and squeezed his hand. "Would you like to come to my next hormone therapy appointment?"

"Do you want me to be there?"

"Would you like to be there?"

"I would." Pete nodded.

"My appointment is at ten tomorrow."

"I'll be there." He gave another nod. Addison smiled softly before they finished their meals and moved into the living room. Pete put his glass of wine on the coffee table before he sat down next to her.

"I'm so full I could burst." She sighed contently and briefly closed her eyes.

"You look content." He smiled as he leaned into the back of the couch. Addison slowly opened her eyes and turned her head to look at him. "Anything else I can do for your contentment?" Pete looked back at her.

"Not right now," she spoke softly and began to lean into him. He nodded slightly and watched her. "I could go to sleep," she whispered and closed her eyes again.

"You can if you want to." Pete wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

"I didn't come here to sleep."

"Doesn't mean you can't."

"But what about?" She looked up at him as her head rested against his shoulder.

"We don't have to right now. There's the whole night, and tomorrow." Pete gave a soft shrug.

"Do you mind?"

"No." He shook his head. "Sleep if you're tired."

"I've just had such a long day. I could nap for an hour and then we could."

"It's alright, just sleep." Pete gave a smile.

"Really?" Addison chewed on her bottom lip. "I don't want to disappoint you."

"Don't worry about me." He shook his head.

"I'm still going to."

"Just sleep. It's fine."

"I just need an hour, that's all," she promised.

"You don't owe me anything, Addison. Just sleep, there's always tomorrow," Pete assured her as he settled back into the couch with her against his side.

"If you're sure." She looked at him before she laid her hest against his chest. Pete gave a nod and kept an arm around her. It wasn't long before Addison had fallen into a deep sleep against his side. Pete tried not to move too much as he reached for a blanket at the end of the couch and covered her with it, carefully.


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: So, I thought I'd be kind and give you another update today. It's been pointed out to me that maybe all these updates on the same day may be too much for you all. I've decided to split my stories so half gets updated on a Saturday and half on a Sunday or maybe there will be a day in between the updates.

* * *

><p>The next day Addison was sat at one of the exam tables in the practice and nervously tapped her fingers against her thigh as she watched Naomi prepare the syringe.<p>

"Do you have to do that where I can see it?" Addison frowned. She wanted to look away but couldn't.

"It's just a needle, Addison." Naomi looked down at the syringe as she pulled it back.

"I don't _like_ them," she pointed out and held back a shiver. Pete stood next to the exam table and watched her with a smile on his face. "Just hurry up and do what you have to." Addison slowly turned her head from Naomi and tried not to cringe.

Pete reached down and took hold of the hand that tapped against her thigh to calm her while Naomi turned and walked towards them. Without thinking about it, Addison squeezed his hand as tight as she could.

"It's just a needle. You stick them into other people all the time." He looked down at her as he held her hand.

"Exactly. I stick them into _other people_, not into myself." She looked up at him. "I'm not the one who feels it being inserted. I just insert it."

"Alright, just look at me, okay?" Pete held her gaze as Naomi placed the needle on her arm.

"Is looking at you supposed to help?" Addison winced as she felt the needle being pushed into her arm.

"Yes, unless you want to watch the needle being pushed into you."

Addison mumbled something but kept her head turned away from her arm. Pete sighed and loosened the grip on her hand as Naomi inserted the hormones.

"All done." Naomi smiled and gently pulled the needle back out.

"Great." Pete nodded. Addison rubbed at her arm and slowly slid off the exam table.

"If you guys want to try, the next three days would probably be good," Naomi casually informed them as she turned to the counter and put everything away.

"Nae, what are our chances of conceiving naturally?" Addison turned towards her friend and looked at her.

"The chances aren't high, but it's worth the try."

She nodded slowly. "And our chances at conceiving by IVF?"

"Maybe a little higher, it's hard to say." Naomi turned back to them. "But if you want to concentrate on the IVF and stop trying to conceive naturally then that's your choice."

"I'm not saying that." Addison glanced at Pete before back at Naomi. "I'm asking about our chances of becoming pregnant."

"You know what the chances are, Addison." Naomi looked back at her friend. "It would be a little miracle."

"Yeah." Addison nodded. "You're right."

"Don't get your hopes up too much but try to stay positive, it helps."

"I know."

"Oh, and Pete." Naomi looked at him. "I'm going to need your sperm by the end of the week but try not to have sex for twenty-four hours before."

Addison looked at Pete and didn't say anything. She was beginning to wonder if it was all worth it.

"You got it." He nodded before he turned to Addison as well. He knew what was going through her head so he reached for her hands and gave her a soft smile. "We're not going to give up now." She gave him a nod before she turned to leave the office. Pete gave a small sigh and dropped his hands before he walked to the door as well.

* * *

><p>Addison sat on a bench on the small park that was opposite the practice and looked out over the beach. She took in a deep breath when Naomi approached her with two cups in her hands and sat down next to her, handing her one.<p>

"Thanks." She wrapped her hands around the warm cup and turned her attention back to the beach.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Naomi asked.

Addison sighed and looked down at the brown liquid in her cup before back up again. "I'm not going to become pregnant."

"You don't know that." Naomi watched her. "What you do know though, is how low the chances are. Why all the doubts suddenly?"

"That's my point, Nae." She turned her head to her friend. "My chances are so low and even if I were to fall pregnant, it would be a high risk pregnancy which might not even go further than the first trimester."

"But there's still a chance." She looked back at her. "I know how much you want this. And as long as there's still a chance it would be crazy not to try and take it.

"A very _slim_ chance. I mean, how many women in my situation actually fall pregnant?"

"I've seen miracles, Addi. It's what I do for a living."

Addison gave a small shake of her head and looked back at the families on the beach. "I've missed my chance," she spoke quietly. "This is Karma."

"Then why did you do it in the first place?"

"When Pete offered to try, all I could think about was having a baby. I deluded myself. I didn't think about the small chance that it would ever work."

"But giving up now doesn't make sense, Addi, you need to stay positive. Try and if it doesn't work, adopt. You could start the adoption process right away."

"That would take years." Addison sighed and briefly closed her eyes. "It would be years before I'd finally get to be a mother."

"You were so sure about adopting just a couple days ago. What happened?"

Slowly Addison turned her head and looked at her friend. "Nothing. Nothing happened."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes." She nodded and looked back at the beach. "I had my chance and I threw it away. I've had two chances and both times I threw them away thinking I'd still be able to get pregnant later. I was so wrong."

"Don't beat yourself up about something that happened years ago. It seemed right at the time. There was no way you could have known."

"This is my own fault, Nae. I chose my destiny. I have to live with it now."

"You might not. And there are other things to live for."

"I know that. I know there are other things for live for but do I have any of them?"

"You can still find them."

Addison shook her head and tightened her grip on the cup.

"You can." Naomi looked at her. "You have your job, you have me."

"My job will only last me so long and I can't go home to a job, nor can I go home to you. You have a family to take care of. You have someone to take of you. I don't. I go home every night to an empty house. There is nothing keeping me anyway." Addison gave a sigh and fought back her tears.

"Addi." Naomi sighed and looked at her. "You do have things to live for and you will find someone to share them with. And if you're lucky you might even get to be a mother one day. Just don't give up because that is not you. I know you are sad and frustrated and I also know that it's partly the hormones, but still. Don't give up."

"Like what, Nae?" She turned her head to look at her friend. "What do I have to live for? Tell me. I'm not lucky. I had my chances, I threw them away. I'm getting what I deserve. I made my bed, now I have to lie in it."

"Stop being so negative, Addison. There are people way worse off than you. You have us. The practice. And you still have a shot at getting what you want the most."

Addison looked at her friend but didn't say anything. They both knew that the chances of her getting pregnant were low so why was Naomi pretending?

"I just don't want you to give up."

"I never said I was giving up. I'm not going to pretend like this will happen when I know that it won't."

"What's the difference, Addison? You've already given up."

Addison looked at her friend's face before she turned and looked at the beach once more. She didn't want her hopes crushed once more. She needed to be real.

* * *

><p>That night Pete walked around Addison's house in the dark to find her sat out on the decking snuggled up underneath a blanket. She was lost in her own world and didn't acknowledge his presence until he was stood in front of her.<p>

"Oh, hey, I didn't hear you come in." She looked up at him.

"I knocked but you didn't answer." He looked back at her.

"Sorry, I didn't hear it. Everything alright?" she asked and sat up a little straight before she curled her legs underneath her so he could sit down on the end of the chair.

"I'm fine." He sat down. "What about you though?"

"I'm fine." Addison nodded. "Just a little tired."

Pete nodded slowly and watched her. "Would you rather be alone tonight?"

"No, you can stay if you want to."

"You don't really seem to be in the mood for company, that's all."

"I'm just tired, Pete."

"Right." He gave a small nod and turned away to look at the beach.

"Are you okay?" Her lips curved into a small frown as she took in his body language. "I haven't seen you much today."

"I went home at noon after I finished my patients."

"Oh." She nodded. "I didn't know that. I thought you were in all day." Pete shook his head and turned to look at her again. "What's wrong?" Her frown deepened.

"Nothing. Why?"

"You don't seem yourself." She gave a one shouldered shrug.

"Neither do you."

"I told you, I'm tired."

"That's all?"

"Yes." Addison gave a nod. "Why?"

"I don't know. I'd just like to believe if there was something wrong you would be able to talk to me."

She sighed and briefly closed her eyes. "You've been talking to Naomi, haven't you?"

"I didn't have to."

"But you did, didn't you?" she questioned.

"Yes." Pete nodded.

Addison let out an angry breath. "She had no right to tell you."

"Tell me what? Don't you think I can tell what's going on in your head?"

She shook her head and clenched her hands together.

"Look, you don't have to talk to me." Pete shook his head and looked away again. "Like I said."

"She shouldn't have told you. It's my business, not hers."

"She's your friend and she's looking out for you. Just like me. She didn't say anything I didn't already know."

"What is there to be worried about?" She crossed her arms over her chest and looked at him.

"Nothing." Pete shook his head. Addison nodded and leaned back against the chair. Pete rested his arms against his thighs and looked at his hands in silence.

"Are you staying tonight?" she asked.

"I don't know."

Addison watched him for a few moments in silence before she spoke again. "Do you have nothing to say?"

Pete turned to look at her before he shook his head. "No." She nodded slowly and looked back at him. "I just don't like seeing you like this." Pete gave a soft shrug. "Shall we go inside?"

"And yet you have nothing to say about it. It must really bug you so much for you to have nothing to say," she commented and felt anger bubble inside of her. She wasn't sure why she felt so angry.

"What do you want me to say?" His voice was soft as he talked. "You won't talk to me."

"You haven't even tried to get me to talk to you. You're just sat there completely calm like this is a normal thing to happen."

"I just asked you about three times what's wrong. If you don't want to talk to me I'm not going to force you to." Pete could feel his voice rise as he looked at her. "I thought if there was something wrong you'd trust me enough to tell me but I guess I was wrong."

"You really want to know what's wrong?" She looked at him. "Really? We're deluding ourselves here, Pete. I'm never going to get pregnant. I have two eggs left. _Two_. I'm forty. I'm past it. I had my chances but I threw them away."

"If that's what you think then why are we even doing this?"

"I don't know," she admitted.

"Great." Pete got up from the chair. "I'm just glad you told Naomi but didn't think I had a right to know how you feel about this."

Addison tensed her jaw and avoided his gaze. She pulled the blanket around her body to keep out the chill.

"If you want to stop, just tell me now."

"I never said I wanted to stop."

"If you don't think it will work, why should we keep trying?"

"Because we've started." She looked up at him.

"So what? We can always stop." Pete looked back at her. "I just don't know what it is all of a sudden. You have two eggs. _Two_, not none. The chance is slim but it's there. I know you don't want to get your hopes up and I don't want you to either but there is a chance. There are women who would kill for that chance. And even if it doesn't work, at least we really tried. At least we did everything we could. And when the IVF fails there is always adoption. I can help you, we can do it together and we can adopt a baby if it's really what you want. Things aren't black or white, there is always a way."

"The chances of me getting pregnant are really slim, Pete. It would take years to adopt. The one thing I want from life I can't have and I'm the one who helps other women to have what I want."

"I know that they are slim but they are there. And adoption doesn't have to take years."

"I'm forty. I'm not going to be at the top of the list to adopt. They're going to choose some young couple who have years left, not someone who is nearing the end."

"Women at your age adopt all the time. You're healthy, you have a good job, you have more money than you could ever spend."

Addison shook her head and turned her gaze away from him, her jaw tense. How could he be so positive?

Pete sighed and looked at her. "I just don't want to see you like this." She kept her gaze out onto the dark beach and didn't say anything. She didn't trust herself to open her mouth in case she either said the wrong thing or began crying. She wasn't sure which would happen first.

"There are people who would kill for the life you live." He watched her. "And I know that's not helping you but I don't want you to be frustrated."

"What's so great about my life?" she demanded. "What have I got that is so damn appealing to everyone else? I don't have a family. I don't have someone to come home to."

Pete sighed and looked down at her. "This is the hormones talking, isn't it?"

"It's the truth, Pete." Addison turned her head and looked at him. "It's the truth."

"No it's not." He shook his head. "You're healthy. You've got a job. You don't have to worry about paying the bills. You have a house on the beach. You have us. You're not alone."

"You all have your own lives to live. I want to share mine with someone. I want someone there for me."

"You'll find someone."

She shook her head and looked down at her lap before she swallowed her tears. "No, I won't. I'll screw up like I have done with every guy I've ever met."

Pete sighed and walked closer again. "Every guy who doesn't want to be with you is an idiot, Addison. It hasn't worked out with anyone yet because you have to get together with the right person."

"They didn't want to be with me because of what I did to them."

"You won't screw it up with the right person."

"I thought Derek was the right one but I screwed it up with him," she pointed out.

"Because he wasn't."

"Doesn't matter." She shook her head and stood up. "I've made my bed, now I have to lie in it." Pete sighed and watched her in silence. "I'm never going to meet the one, Pete. I know that I'm not." She looked at him and dropped her arms to her sides tiredly.

"Come here," he spoke quietly and held his arms out to her. Addison hesitated before she stepped closer and let him hug her. Pete placed his hands on her lower back and rested his head against hers softly. She let out a breath and closed her eyes as she leaned into his embrace.

"Do you want to try and make a baby tonight or not?" he asked quietly.

"It wouldn't feel right." She shook her head. "Not tonight. Not after… Not tonight." Pete nodded and didn't say anything. "You can still stay," she whispered.

"It's alright."

"You don't want to?"

"You've had a hard day. I'm not going to bother you. I don't mind driving home."

"Stay, please," she whispered and snuggled her face into his chest.

Pete looked down at her for a few moments before he nodded slightly. "Okay."

"Thank you," she whispered before she slowly pulled back and they made their way inside.

* * *

><p>You didn't really think this would go smoothly did you know? You should know how we roll by now! However, please feel free to leave us a review and tell us your thoughts!<p> 


	5. Chapter 5

Addison slowly stretched her body out and kicked the covers off her. She yawned and turned over onto her side right onto Pete. He mumbled something at the movement and tiredly blinked a few times.

"Sorry," she murmured. "I forgot you were there."

"It's okay," he whispered with a tired voice and rubbed his eyes. She pushed herself up onto her elbow slowly and looked at the red numbers on her clock. "Do we have to get up yet?" Pete asked as he watched her.

"We have another hour." Addison let her arm go slack so her torso collided with her mattress again and she closed her eyes.

"Good," he murmured and shifted underneath the blanket. She gave a nod before she opened her eyes to look at him. He gave her a tired smile and turned onto his side. "How are you feeling?" Addison lifted one shoulder in a small shrug. Pete sighed and reached out to brush a strand of hair behind her ear. "You need to relax."

"Do you think I'll be a good mother?" she asked quietly and looked at him.

"Of course," he replied without hesitation. "You'll be a great mother."

"Really?" Addison questioned.

"Really." Pete looked at her and nodded. "I'm sure of it." She didn't reply. She studied his face carefully before she reached out a hand to touch his cheek.

"I'm more worried about me being a dad," he admitted as he looked down into her face.

"Why?" she whispered. "You'll be amazing. You just have the way about you."

"I don't know." Pete shook his head. "All I really know is that I want my child to feel loved. Always."

"Me too," she agreed. "So much."

Pete nodded and gave a soft smile as he looked down at her. "We'll be fine together."

"Together," Addison whispered before she curled up against his side. He slid an arm around her underneath the blanket and rested his head against hers softly. A comfortable silence settled over the pair of them as they lay together, needing the other's comfort.

"When is your next hormone therapy?" Pete asked after a while.

"Tomorrow afternoon. Do you want to come?" Addison moved her head on his chest so she could see him.

"Did me being there help?" He looked down at her. She nodded and curled her legs up a little more. "I'll be there then."

"Thank you," she whispered.

"No need to thank me," he spoke softly. "My sperm is due soon. I assume you don't want to be there for that?"

"It would be a little weird," she admitted.

"I was just kidding." Pete gave a smile.

"When do you plan on giving Naomi your sperm?" Addison placed her left hand on the centre of his chest and spread her fingers.

"Well, she said the end of the week, so I guess Friday." He shrugged.

She nodded slowly. "So, we should stop trying Wednesday then until after you've given your sperm."

"Hmm, I guess Thursday morning would be alright."

"Your sperm needs to be at its best." Addison couldn't help but pull a face after the words had left her mouth.

"Hey," Pete nudged her side, "my sperm is always at its best."

"I didn't mean it like that. I meant that… well, you know." She shrugged, unsure of how to word it.

"What?" His lips curved into a smile as he watched her. "We're not going to have sex twenty-four hours before to save the best swimmers up, just like Naomi told me to."

"I just meant that you need to erm, have a lot of sperm." Addison gave a weak one shouldered shrug as a blush crept onto her cheeks.

Pete smirked at her. "I will, don't worry."

"Good." She nodded. "That's good."

He smiled and brushed his finger over her cheek as he looked down at her. "You're a doctor and you blush when you talk about my sperm."

"My patients are female," she pointed out, "and you're my friend. It's weird." She pulled a face at him. Pete nodded slowly at her and didn't say anything. Addison looked up at him before she placed her head back on his chest so she could hear his heartbeat.

He looked up at the ceiling and kept an arm on her side. "I should probably take a shower before work."

"There are towels in the bathroom," she spoke quietly.

"That's good."

"Do you want to get lunch together today?"

"Sure, sounds good." Pete nodded. Addison smiled softly and snuggled a little bit further into his side. Pete buried his nose into her hair before he spoke again. "Remember how you told me morning sex increases the changes?" he asked quietly. Addison slowly pulled her head back from his chest and looked up at him. "What?" He frowned as he looked back at her.

Instead of replying she simply leaned forward and pressed her lips against his. Pete's arm around her tightened instantly and he kissed her back passionately. They moulded their bodies together before they began to try to create another life.

* * *

><p>Sam gave a tired sigh as he wrote in the file of his last patient of the day. The sound of his door caught his attention and he looked up to see Pete stood there.<p>

"Busy?" he asked.

"Last patient." Sam motioned to the open file in front of him.

"I just finished my paperwork. Do you want to get a drink or something?"

"Sounds great." Sam nodded, quickly scribbled one last thing down in the file and stood up.

"Addison is at your place for a girl's night, isn't she?" Pete asked as he waited in the doorway.

"She is. They want me out of the way for a bit. They have something to talk about apparently," Sam informed his friend as they made their way down the hallway to the elevator.

"Oh." Pete nodded slowly. "Right."

"Easier to leave them to it, right?" Sam chuckled and shook his head as they stepped onto the elevator and hit the button for the ground floor.

"I guess." Pete smiled and nodded as they rode down.

"So, any reason for drinks tonight?" Sam asked and glanced at his friend.

"Not really, we just haven't been out in a while." He gave a shrug.

"Sounds good to me." Sam nodded as they made their way along to the bar on the beach.

They sat down at a small table outside and each ordered a drink. Sam took a long swig and then let out a contented sigh.

"So," Pete looked around at the other people in the bar before back at Sam, "what's new?"

"Same old, same old really." Sam shrugged. "Maya is being a teenager, Nae is freaking out over it."

"Must be scary, having a teenage daughter." He smiled.

"You have no idea." Sam looked at his friend. "The constant mood swings, the loud music, the boys."

Pete smiled and leaned back in his chair. "It's worth it though, isn't it?"

"Of course it is! It's the best thing in the world. No matter how much grief they give you, the love is all worth it."

Pete nodded at his friend before he took another sip. Sam looked around the bar at the other people and took a sip as well.

"I might get that soon." He smiled slightly as he looked down at his drink.

"What?" Sam turned his attention back to his friend. "Get what?"

"What you have."

Sam frowned in confusion. "I don't follow you."

"A family." Pete gave a small shrug. Sam pulled a face and waited for his friend to explain further. "Has Naomi really not told you anything yet?" Pete watched him.

"Told me what?" Sam asked, still confused.

"Addison, she's trying to have a baby."

"That's why she originally came here." Sam nodded.

"Well, she's trying again now."

"I didn't know that."

"She is." Pete took another sip of his drink. "And I'm helping her."

Sam stared at his friend for a few moments. "What?"

"I'm helping her," he repeated as he looked back at Sam.

"You're…you're going to have a baby with Addison?" Sam questioned, trying to wrap his mind around it.

"Well, we're trying to." Pete nodded. "She mentioned how much she wanted it, so I offered to do it with her."

"Wow," Sam finally replied. "That's…unexpected."

"I know. But we're friends and she really wants a baby and I've always wanted to be a dad too." He shrugged.

"How are you going to raise the baby?" Sam questioned.

"Well at the beginning the baby will be with her and then once they're old enough we'll take turns."

"Man, do you have any idea how hard it's going to be? It was hard enough with both me and Naomi, but with the both of you not together, it will be worse."

"People who aren't together raise their children together all the time."

Sam sighed and looked at his friend. "Have you really thought about this or did you just think you both want to be parents?"

"We'll figure the details out when she's actually pregnant." Pete looked back at him. "If I hadn't offered, she would have tried to adopt or gotten a sperm donor and she'd have to do it all on her own. Now she's got me."

"It's your choice, Pete." Sam shrugged and took a sip of his beer.

"I already made a choice." Pete finished his drink before he put the glass down.

"I know." Sam nodded.

"We'll figure it all out."

"I'm sure you will."

"First it has to work anyway," Pete sighed. Sam nodded slowly and looked at his friend. Pete looked around and waved the waiter for another drink before he leaned back in his chair. A silence settled over the friends as the idea settled between them.

* * *

><p>AN: Don't be fooled, this won't be a easy journey for these two to take.


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: I apologise I didn't have time to update yesterday and when I did I wasn't on wi-fi and it's awkward to update when on my USB modem. I will update the other three stories tomorrow so that you're not missing out on any updates.

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><p>Friday morning Addison made her way along the hallway of the practice with a file in her hand. She dropped it off at reception before she turned and made her way back the way she came. She walked past the offices and exam rooms before she reached Pete's office at the end of the hallway. The blinds were closed but he wasn't supposed to have any patients yet.<p>

"Pete," she called and pushed open the door before she stepped inside.

"Wait, I-" He trailed off and froze when he turned his head to look back at her. A blush instantly crept onto Addison's cheek and she tired to talk but found that she couldn't. Pete was sat on his chair with his pants and boxers pooling around his ankles and one of his hands in his lap. She stuttered and quickly made her way back out of his office. He sighed loudly and leaned his head back against his chair with his eyes closed.

Addison hurried down the hallway and into her office where she buried her face into her hands. She leaned against the door and let out a sigh. Even though she was sleeping with him seeing him like that felt too weird. She could still feel her cheeks burning when she pushed herself from the door before she heard steps in the hallway and froze. She daren't peek through the blinds and instead hurried over to her desk and tried to find a file to look at. There was a knock on her door only moments later and she gave a loud sigh.

"Come in," Addison called and tried to keep her voice light. She kept her back to the door when it opened before someone walked in and closed it again.

"I thought I had locked the door," Pete explained as he stood behind her.

"It's fine. I should have knocked," she apologised and didn't meet his gaze.

"It's not a bid deal, Addison." He watched her.

"I know." She nodded and flicked through the file that was open on her desk.

"Yet you can't even look at me."

"I'm reading my patient's file."

"Right." Pete nodded.

"I saw Naomi in her office if you want her."

"Thanks." He sighed before he turned and left the office. Addison gave a nod and glanced up at his back as he retreated from her office.

* * *

><p>That night Pete was stood in his kitchen doing the washing up after dinner.<p>

"Do you want some help?" Addison called from the living room.

"No, it's fine." He shook his head as began to dry the plates.

"You sure?"

"I'm sure."

"Okay." She nodded. "Can I do anything at all?"

"You can do whatever you want. Do you want desert?" he asked as he finished drying up. "There's ice cream in the freezer."

"I'll get it." Addison nodded and made her way into the kitchen and to the freezer. Pete looked at her as he dried his hands before he put the towel aside and got two spoons from the drawer.

"Do you want to share a bowl?" she asked and looked over her shoulder at him.

"I don't mind sharing." He shrugged. "You can have your own, though."

Addison nodded and scooped ice cream into one bowl for them to share. The two of them walked back into the living room together and settled down on the couch. Addison curled her legs underneath her body before she dipped her spoon into the ice cream.

"I gave Naomi my sperm today," Pete began after a while, "she's going to test it before the IVF. Not much longer now."

"That's good." Addison nodded and looked at him. "You realise if this works, in a year we'll be parents."

"I do." Pete nodded as well as he looked back at her.

"It's a scary thought, isn't it?" She pulled a face slightly. "We'll have a tiny little life to look after."

"It is, kind of," he agreed. "But I can't wait."

"It's scary. We'll have a tiny life. We'll have a child."

"I know. They'll depend on us."

"Aren't you scared?" she asked and looked at him.

"Of course I am but we'll be fine." Pete gave a small shrug as he ate some as well.

"You really think so?" Addison pursed her lips together in thought.

"I do." He nodded. "I'm not saying it will be easy, but I know that we can do it."

"I hope so."

Pete nodded and looked down at the bowl of ice cream. "I just wish I'd had someone to show me how to be a parent."

"What do you mean?" Addison frowned slightly and titled her head to the side as she looked at him.

"Well, I didn't really have parents." He shrugged. She wasn't sure what to say to that and instead took hold of his hand and gave it a squeeze. "It's fine." Pete attempted to give a small smile. "I just hope there's some kind of fatherly intuition."

"You don't need to be showed how to be a parent. You'll know," she reassured him.

"I hope so." He nodded.

"You'll know."

Pete looked at her and gave a smile before he ate some more ice cream.

"We'll be okay." She nodded.

"We will," he agreed and leaned back into the couch. Addison ate another spoonful and watched him. Pete smiled as he looked back at her. "You've got ice cream on your lip."

"I do?" Her hand instantly went to her lip to wipe it away.

"Yeah, here." He reached out and brushed it away.

"Thank you." Addison smiled softly at him.

"No problem." Pete smiled back.

"I'm always so full after you've cooked for me," she commented and leaned back.

"I've got to make sure you eat properly."

"I am, don't worry." Addison nodded.

"You like my food though." He smiled and placed a hand on her full stomach.

"I _love_ your food." She turned her head to look at him.

"So I'll have to keep cooking for you." Pete looked back down at her.

"Thank you." Addison smiled. Pete smiled back and leaned down to place a kiss on her cheek. "Thank you for everything, Pete."

"You don't have to thank me."

"I do." She nodded.

"Well, you're welcome."

Addison smiled softly and looked at him, really looked at him. Pete looked down at his hands before he lifted his eyes and looked into her face.

"I hope the baby has your eyes," she spoke quietly.

"You do?" His lips curved into a soft smile.

"Yes." She nodded. "They're so blue and mesmerising."

"I hope our baby has your smile."

"I don't." Addison shook her head. "I had braces."

"They'll probably need braces either way." He shrugged and her lips curved into a frown at the thought. She didn't want her child to go through the horrible experience she had of braces.

"Most children have some nowadays." Pete smiled. "And they'll still have a gorgeous smile."

"I guess so." She slowly nodded.

"I didn't have braces though."

"Then we'd better hope the baby inherits your teeth structure."

Pete nodded in thought and leaned his head back against the couch.

Addison watched him for a few moments in silence before she asked, "What are you thinking about?"

"Just wondering what our baby will look like."

"What are you imagining?" She shifted her body so she faced him fully.

"A little girl," Pete smiled softly, "with your hair and my eyes."

Addison couldn't help but grin at the thought. "Do you want a little girl?"

"I don't mind either way, but just think how adorable she would be."

"Very adorable," she agreed.

"What about you?" Pete looked down at her. "Boy or girl?"

"Either but I've always wanted a little girl." She smiled sheepishly.

He smiled softly at her and nodded. "We'll be happy about either though."

"Of course we will," she agreed and nodded. Pete looked down at her and smiled softly. A comfortable silence settled over the two of them as they sat and thought.

"I've been thinking about my dad," he began after a while. "You know, about trying to get in touch with him."

She turned her head to look at him. "Do you want to?"

"I don't know. I think I do, now that I want to be a father myself."

"Then you should."

"Yeah, maybe." Pete nodded.

"Do you know who he is?" she asked.

"No." He sighed. "I don't."

"Oh." Addison titled her head to the side again.

"I'm just being ridiculous, aren't I?" Pete looked at her. "I mean I don't even know where to start looking. I know nothing."

"No, you're not," she reassured him. "It's a normal thing to want to do."

"But I have no clue who he is. I have no name, no address, I've got nothing."

"You could ask your mum," she suggested. "Even just a name would be good."

"I haven't talked to my mother in years."

Addison nodded slowly. "It's your choice, Pete. We'll all support you no matter what."

Pete nodded as well and gave a small smile. "Thanks."

"Any time." She smiled back.

"I shouldn't get my hopes up though."

"There's no harm in trying."

"What if he's just another drunk? Just like my mother?"

"Then at least you know." She squeezed his hand again. Pete nodded as he looked down at their hands before back up at her face. "You could spend your whole life wondering but you'll never know until you find him," Addison pointed out.

"Maybe it's for the best not to know."

"And what if he's the complete opposite of your mother? What if he's always wanted to find you but didn't know how or didn't want to upset you."

"I don't even know if he knows that I exist."

"Maybe he doesn't." Addison shrugged at the thought. "But he might want to know."

Pete gave a small sigh and nodded. "Maybe."

"What do you have to loose if you do find him?" she asked.

"If he's just like my mother, then I'm just not sure I want to know."

"But he might not be," Addison pointed out. "You can't know for sure what he was."

"Yeah," he sighed. "You're right."

"I always am." She grinned before her face grew serious again. "Think about it fully, Pete."

"I will." Pete nodded and gave a small smile as he ran his fingers over the back of her hand.

"Just remember that no matter what I'm here for you."

Something shifted in his eyes at her words and his whole face softened. "Thank you."

"No problem." She smiled softly at him. "You're a friend." Pete nodded and gave her a smile. "You'll get through no matter what you decide."

"I know." He nodded. "I'll think about it."

"I'm here if you ever want to talk." Addison squeezed his hand again. "About anything, I'm here."

* * *

><p>AN: Some awkwardness had to be thrown in there sometime.


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: I know, I know. I _suck_. I totally forgot, I'll be honest. Being back in college has pickled my brain. I _will_ update this Saturday and Sunday as usual, I promise.

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><p>A week later Pete worked a late shift at the hospital. He made his way along the hallway with a file in his hand to check on one of his patients when he walked past the newborn station. He instinctively looked up and someone caught his eye. They were sat in the rocking chair with a newborn snuggled against their chest. Pete could feel a pull in his chest at the sight and he slowed down as he looked inside through the window.<p>

Addison had her head bent as she watched the newborn sleep peacefully in her arms. She felt someone's gaze upon her and she lifted her head to see Pete. He gave her a small, soft smile and leaned against the doorway that led into the room.

"Hey," she spoke softly so she wouldn't wake the baby.

"Hey," he replied just as quietly. "I thought you'd have gone home by now."

Addison shook her head and let her gaze travel to the sleeping infant. "His mother has just left him," she whispered. "She gave birth and then left. She didn't even see him."

Pete gave a small sigh and looked down at the little boy in her arms that was wrapped in a blue blanket. "He's beautiful. Does he have a name?"

"No." She shook her head sadly.

Slowly, he walked closer until he reached the rocking chair Addison was sat in so he could look down at the newborn. Addison turned her head and looked up at Pete to see his expression.

"He looks content." He smiled softly. "I think he likes you."

"I've just given him a big feed. I think it wore him out." She lightly traced her finger over his small features.

"Are social services going to pick him up?"

"Later." Addison nodded. Pete nodded as well and carefully put his finger into the palm of the boy's tiny hand. "I don't understand how parents can leave their child behind," she whispered. Anger was evident in her voice.

"Some just aren't ready."

"Then they should find an alternative, not just dump their poor, innocent baby. There are other options. People aren't going to look down on them for choosing another route, we've moved on since those times."

"Well, they did give him up for adoption, didn't they?"

"No." Addison shook her head and could feel the anger that bubbled inside of her. "She just _left_. She said she didn't want him and then disappeared. That was it. She had no pre-natal care either. So selfish."

Pete sighed and brushed his thumb over the baby's hand that gripped his finger. "He doesn't deserve that."

"_No one_ deserves that," she commented sternly. "She could have gotten help. She could have found a family who would have taken him the moment he was born. She wouldn't have had to worry."

"I know." He nodded. "Hopefully they'll find him a good family soon."

"Hopefully," she whispered and tightened her arms around him a tiny bit.

"He's got a really tight grip. He's a strong little boy." Pete smiled softly.

"He does." She nodded. "He's a little fighter."

"We could have one of these at some point."

"I'll never give up on our baby," Addison whispered and swallowed the lump that had formed in her throat. She would do anything to have a baby and there were some women who happily threw theirs away.

"Neither will I, I promise." Pete rested his hand on her shoulder.

"I know you won't." She titled her head to the side so that it rested against his arm as they watched the newborn in her arms.

"I have one more patient. Do you want me to get you when I'm done?" Pete asked quietly. "We could get some food on our way home."

"No, it's fine. I have a few more things I have to do before I leave. I'll be a while longer than you."

"I can wait if you want me to," he offered.

"No, it's honestly fine." Addison gave a small shake of her head. "It will be late by the time I leave."

"Alright." Pete gave a small nod and dropped his hand from her shoulder. "I'll see you tomorrow, I guess."

"I'll call you," she offered and turned her head to look at him. "I'll let you know when I get home." Pete nodded and gave a small smile before he turned to leave the room and check on his patient.

* * *

><p>Addison turned her key in the lock and tiredly stepped into her dark house once she had left the hospital. She kicked her shoes off her feet and flicked on the lights, only to scream and jump at the figure sprawled over her couch.<p>

"Ugh. Stop it, Ads," Archer mumbled tiredly from where he was led, covering his ears from the high sound.

"Archer?" It was a mixture of question and a statement. "What the hell? How did you get in?" Relief instantly flooded her body at the fact it was only her older brother and not someone about to murder her.

"You left you patio door open," he explained. "You weren't here so I just crashed on the couch."

Instantly she glanced at her patio door that was now securely closed and locked before back at her brother. "What are you doing here?"

"Visiting my baby sister." Archer shrugged. "I haven't seen you in months." She raised an eyebrow and made her way over to sit next to him at the couch as she waited for the real answer. "What? Am I not allowed to want to see my sister?" He looked at her.

"Bizzy sent you to spy on me, didn't she?"

"She might have mentioned something. But I am here to spend time with you."

Addison raised her eyebrow even higher. "That's the _only_ reason you're here. I know that you love me but I only ever get a visit if you get something out of it or if you've been sent by Bizzy."

"Fine," he sighed. "There's a conference in LA this weekend and I need a place to stay, _but_ I did want to see you."

This time she rolled her eyes. "I'll make up the guest room for you, Arch, but don't think you're getting away with not doing something around the house while you're here," she warned.

"Oh come on, I'm a guest!" He defended himself.

"No, you're my _brother_," she corrected and pointed at him.

Archer sighed in defeat. "Fine."

"Good." Addison nodded. "So, how are you, big brother of mine?" She curled her legs underneath her body and faced him fully.

"I'm great." He smirked at her. "What about you, sis? How come you are out this late? Hot date?"

"Work." She shook her head and couldn't help the sigh that escaped her lips.

"Work? It's Friday night, Ads."

"I had a sensitive case to sort out."

"You need to have some fun every once in a while."

"I do." She nodded and looked at her brother. "I do have fun, Arch, you don't have to worry."

"I'm always going to worry." Archer nudged her side. Addison rolled her eyes but couldn't help but smile at him. "So, do you have any plans for this weekend?" He looked at her.

"Not really." She shook her head. "You?"

"Well, the conference, but that should only take a couple of hours."

"We can grab some lunch after if you want," she offered and turned her body to face him fully.

"If you don't have any other plans." Archer nodded.

"I can make time for my big brother." She smiled softly at him. "Arch?"

"Yes?" He turned his head to look at her properly.

"If I tell you something, you won't go and tell Bizzy, will you?" Addison felt like they were teenagers again telling each other secrets.

"No." Archer shook his head. "I won't. What is it, Ads?"

She bit down on her bottom lip and twirled her thumbs around each other. She suddenly felt nervous and she wasn't sure why. "I'm trying for a baby," she spoke quietly.

"A baby?" His eyes widened slightly in surprise. "But, I thought you couldn't?"

"There's a small chance and I want to take that chance. I don't want to be wondering 'what if' in ten years time. I need to know if that chance is big enough for me, Arch. I _have_ to try."

"I thought you weren't seeing anyone. Do you really think you want to do this all by yourself?"

"I'm not seeing anyone," she confirmed and clasped her hands together. "I'm trying with Pete."

"What?" Archer looked at his sister, confused. "You're not together but you're trying for a baby together?"

"Yes." Addison nodded. "We're both single and we both want a baby. Isn't it better that I'm not going to be alone in this?"

Archer sighed. "I guess. But are you sure he really wants the same thing you do?"

"He does. You don't have to worry, Arch. We could all have lunch together this weekend. You can meet him and see that we both want the same things."

"Alright." He gave a nod. Addison's lips curved into a small smile as she looked at her brother. "I just don't want to see you getting hurt." Archer looked back at her.

"I won't get hurt. You don't have to worry," she reassured him and placed a hand on his arm. "Pete's not that kind of guy." Archer nodded and gave his sister a small smile. "Anyway, I'm off to bed. It's been a long day. You know where the guest room is?"

"I think I remember." He smiled softly. "Sleep well, Ads."

"Night, Arch." She kissed his cheek before she stood up and made her way to bed.

* * *

><p>When Pete made his way into the small café on the beach the next day to meet Addison and her brother the two of them were already sat at a table, waiting for him.<p>

"Hey." Addison smiled up at him. "Pete, you remember my brother, Archer?" She watched as they shook hands politely.

"I do." Pete gave a smile before he sat down on the empty chair.

"We haven't ordered yet," Addison told Pete. "Did you want a drink?"

"I'm just going to have water."

Addison nodded and once they had all decided what they wanted to eat, they ordered.

"So, how long are you in town for?" Pete looked at Archer.

"My flight is on Tuesday."

"You have a couple more days then." Pete nodded

"I do." Archer nodded as well and took in Pete's appearance and body language.

Pete gave a smile and turned his head to look at Addison. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine. Just a little hungry." Addison smiled softly at him.

"Good." He smiled back at her.

"How has your day been?" she asked.

"Not too bad. I had to go to the hospital to check on my patient and I stopped by the newborn station on my way out."

Addison nodded slowly but didn't say anything in reply. Pete looked at her before the waiter brought them their food.

"Looks good," Archer commented.

"It does," Pete agreed and they all began to eat.

"So, Pete," Archer began and looked at the other guy sat across from him, "any interesting cases lately?" This time Archer could see Pete in a different light. He wasn't just some guy that Addison worked with anymore; he was the guy Addison was trying to have a baby with.

"A few. I've been working a lot in the ER at the hospital lately." Pete nodded.

"Bored of being a doctor?"

"No, I just wanted to do something else as well."

"Broaden the horizons?" Archer gave a nod.

"Yeah." Pete nodded as well. "How's New York?"

"It's good. Busy as always."

"What kind of conference are you here for?"

"Neuro."

Pete nodded and ate some more of his salad. Addison held in a sigh before she excused herself to go to the bathroom. A silence fell over the table as Pete and Archer continued to eat.

"Addison has told me," Archer commented, "I was surprised to hear that the two of you are trying for a baby. Seemed a bit strange at first seeing as the two of you are not in a relationship nor do you seem to want to be."

"We're just friends." Pete gave a small shrug. "And we both want a baby."

"Still, you have no tie to her," Archer pointed out. "How do I know you want the same as her?"

"What other reason would I have to do this?"

He shrugged. "I don't know. What do you want, Pete?"

"She really wants this and I want to help her."

"What do _you_ want?" Archer repeated and looked at Pete.

"I want to have a baby with her."

"And?"

"That's it." Pete looked at Archer. "I know how happy it would make her to finally be a mum."

"What do you want from her once the baby is born?"

"Nothing. What is this all about? I don't want anything from her."

"I don't want my baby sister getting hurt."

"I would _never_ do anything to hurt her. Not on purpose."

Archer paused and studied the man in front of him. "Why did you agree to have a baby with her?"

"We're friends, we're close and we both want a baby."

Archer gave a nod and leaned closer so his elbows rested on the table. "So you don't want to have a baby when you're in a relationship?"

"I'm not in a relationship."

"I know you're not. I'm asking would you rather not wait until you are?"

"Who knows if I will ever be in a relationship that will get to that level?" Pete shrugged.

"How much do you plan on being in the baby's life?"

"As much as possible. I'll always be there for both of them."

"Good." Archer nodded satisfied. "That's good. I take it you'll share the financial things between you as well?"

"Of course." Pete nodded. "You have nothing to worry about. I'll take care of both of them. Addison won't be alone."

"Good," Archer repeated. "You have to share things between you equally."

"We will," he confirmed.

"I don't want her to be alone," Archer warned.

"She won't be, I promise." Pete looked at him. "It's why I suggested this in the first place," he admitted. "So she won't have to do it on her own."

"Good, that's good." Archer nodded satisfied before he began to eat again and Addison returned.

* * *

><p>We had to have Archer turn up at some point and we thought this would be the perfect time :)<p> 


	8. Chapter 8

A/N: *ducks from the flying objects I'm sure you're throwing at me for not updating for a week* Life took over unfortuantly :/ I _will_ update next weekend, I promise!

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><p>Just over a week later, Addison sat in Pete's kitchen with her chin resting on her fist while she watched him clear up after dinner. He had protested the instant she had tried to help and insisted she sat down.<p>

"Desert?" He looked at her over his shoulder as he washed the dishes.

"What have you got?" Addison asked and lifted her chin off her fist.

"There are some cupcakes on the isle over there." He motioned. She nodded and made her way over to the packet of cupcakes before she took two out and held one out for him.

"Thanks." He smiled softly and dried his hands before he took hold of it. Addison seated herself back at the table before she took a bite. "There's something I wanted to tell you." Pete began as he took a bite of his cupcake.

"Hmm?" She looked up at him as she slowly pulled the case off the cupcake.

"I've got this ten-year-old patient that's been coming in for a couple of months now and his mum asked me if I wanted to get a drink together tomorrow night," he explained as he looked at her. "I said yes. I hope that's okay."

"Oh, right, okay." Addison paused her actions and looked up at him.

"It's just drinks, no big deal." Pete shrugged slightly.

"Yeah, I guess not," she replied shortly and placed her cake down on the table. Pete nodded and took another bite of his cupcake. "What does her son think of these drinks?" she asked.

"I don't think he knows about them."

"Don't you think he should?" There was suddenly anger bubbling inside of Addison.

"No." Pete shook his head. "As long as it's nothing serious I don't think a child should know that."

"And what if it does become serious?" She turned her head and looked at him.

"It won't. But if it should then he would know."

"It won't?" She raised an eyebrow. "What makes you so sure of that? Clearly there are intentions behind all this."

"I told you it's just drinks. I'm not looking for anything serious right now."

"Really?"

"Yes." Pete nodded. "We're trying to have a baby. It would only complicate things if I started a relationship with someone right now."

"Exactly. We're trying for a baby. You shouldn't be out there looking for women."

"But I'm not." He looked at her.

"You're going for drinks with her. It's not going to be just one night, is it? It's _never_ just one night."

"I just asked you if it was okay if I went out with her."

"You didn't give me much choice there." Addison stood from her seat in irritation and brushed crumbs off her lap.

"I _asked_ you." Pete looked at her in disbelief. "I won't start anything with her so what's the problem?"

"No, you said 'I hope that's okay' you didn't ask!"

"You could have said it's not okay."

"And sounded like a bitch?"

"I asked because I care about what you think."

"We're not in a relationship, Pete," she snapped.

"No, but we're trying to have a baby together."

"What does it matter?" She threw her arms up in frustration. "We're only creating a life together, not getting bloody married. Do what you want."

"Great." Pete tensed as he watched her. "I will."

"Good. I'm glad we understand."

"I don't know why you have to make such a big deal out of it."

"I'm not making a big deal," she protested and crossed her arms across her chest.

"Yes you are." He nodded. "You're pissed because I'm having drinks with another woman."

"I'm not expecting you to understand. You're a guy."

"What difference does it make?"

"Every bit of difference!" she yelled.

"What's the matter with you all of a sudden?" Pete raised his voice as she began to yell.

"What's the matter with me? What's the matter with _me_?" Her voice rose even more and she clenched her hands into fists.

"Yes! All I did was tell you that I'm having drinks tomorrow night!"

"Argh!" Addison threw her hands up in frustration and turned her back on him.

"Where are you going?" Pete watched her.

"I'm not going anywhere! Do you see me walking somewhere? No!"

Pete sighed and crossed his arms in front of his chest as he leaned against the counter. Addison kept her back to him which reduced her want to slap him hard across the face.

"Can we calm down about this." He watched her.

"What does it matter?" she snapped and turned to face him again, her cheeks rosy in anger.

"What are you so mad about for God's sake?"

"Everything! I'm not asking you to understand, Pete, because you never could."

"Of course I could, you're not even trying to explain it to me!"

"You're a guy," she pointed out, her finger pointing at him, "you have three things on your mind and that's it. You don't understand things like this."

"Oh really? What's that? Sex, sports and food? Is that how you see me?"

"That is a guy for you!" Her arms waved about as she spoke. "You don't do emotions."

"What the hell are you talking about?" Pete's jaw tensed as he looked at her.

"This!" She waved her arms between them.

"I am asking you to explain it to me!"

"What's the point? You'd never understand anyway."

"You won't even give me a chance!"

"I know it'll be useless!"

"Then what are we even doing here?"

"You know what?" Addison let her shoulders sag. "Maybe this was a stupid idea in the first place." She looked at him for a few seconds before she grabbed her bag and pushed past him out of the house.

"Wha-" Pete trailed off as he looked after her in disbelief, but she had already pulled out of his drive and started along the road before he had a chance to catch her.

* * *

><p>The next morning Addison was sat on one of the exam tables in the practice for her appointment with Naomi. Her thoughts were elsewhere as she stared ahead of her and said nothing.<p>

Naomi glanced at her friend as she prepared for the check-up. "Everything alright? How are you feeling with the hormones and all?"

"Huh? What?" Addison turned her head to look at Naomi.

"Are you alright?"

She let out a sigh and briefly closed her eyes. "Pete and I argued last night."

"You did? What about?" Naomi frowned.

Addison sighed again. "He's going to have drinks with a woman."

"Oh." Naomi turned to face her completely. "What woman?"

"Some woman." Addison shrugged. "She's the mother of one of his patients I think."

"And you don't want him to have drinks with her?"

"We're trying for a baby right now. I thought that he'd wait, you know."

"Yeah." Naomi nodded.

"I got angry and we argued."

"How bad of an argument was it?"

Tears threatened to fall as Addison lifted her head to look at her friend. She felt so stupid.

"Oh, Addi," Naomi sighed and walked closer to her friend to comfort her.

Addison sniffled and wiped at her eyes. "I told him that maybe this was a stupid idea," she whispered.

"What did he say?" She lifted a hand to place it on Addison's shoulder.

"I don't know. I stormed out before he had a chance to reply. I was just so… I don't know what I was, what I felt," she admitted and gave a small shrug.

"You're hormonal right now." Naomi looked down at her friend. "Is he still coming to the appointment?"

"I don't know," Addison whispered and looked down at her hands as more tears threatened to fall. "I wouldn't blame him if he didn't."

"Well, we can wait a little longer if you'd like," she spoke softly.

"Do you think he'll come?"

"I know that he wants to be here."

Addison nodded slowly and looked at her friend. "I screwed up."

"It was just a fight, you can sort it out." Naomi looked back at her.

"What if we can't? What if I've lost my chance?"

"You can still try for a baby."

"It won't be the same," Addison whispered and shook her head. "I'd be a single mother then."

"Look, you and Pete will be fine, okay?" Naomi looked down at her. Addison gave a small shrug of her shoulders and looked down at her hands.

"Just talk to him."

"And what if he doesn't want to talk to me, Nae? What if he hates me now?"

"Pete doesn't hate you, sweetie, I promise. If he doesn't want to talk you just give him some time. But he'll understand."

Addison nodded slowly and swallowed the lump in her throat. She didn't want to cry anymore.

"Shall we start with the check-up?"

"I guess."

Naomi gave her a small smile and turned back to the counter when the door behind her opened. Addison didn't bother to look up sure it was Dell giving Naomi some information about another patient.

"Hey." Pete was out of breath as he closed the door behind him. "Sorry I'm late."

The sound of his voice made Addison's head snap up instantly. "Pete," she whispered and trailed off before her cheeks flamed red.

"Hey." He looked at her before he frowned. "Have you been crying?"

"I'm fine." She sniffled again and shook her head before she dropped her gaze back to the floor. Pete gave a sigh and walked closer to the exam table. Naomi gave her friends a smile before she started the check-up.

* * *

><p>When Addison and Pete left the exam room after the check-up Pete turned to face Addison in the hallway. She kept her gaze down on the floor and continued to walk slowly to her office. She knew they needed to talk but she didn't want to.<p>

"Addison." He watched her.

"I…I have patients," she tried weakly.

"So you can't even talk to me now."

Her cheeks flamed once more and she felt the tears prick the back of her eyes.

"If you don't want me to see her, I won't."

"No." Addison shook her head. "Don't let me stop you. It's fine, really."

"It's obviously not fine." Pete watched her.

"No, it is. I overreacted." She reached for the door to her office and pushed it open. She did not want to have the conversation in the hallway.

He walked after her and closed the door behind him. "Do you really think this is a bad idea? Because I'm not going to walk away now."

"No." Addison shook her head and eased herself down on her chair behind her desk. "I don't think it's a bad idea. I didn't mean that last night. I'm not sure where it came from," she admitted.

"So, you just got angry and started yelling for no reason?"

A sigh escaped her lips as she leaned back and she slowly looked up at him. "I guess so." Pete looked back at her and gave a small nod. "I just… I overreacted," she repeated. "I didn't mean what I said last night. Honestly, you can go for drinks with her."

"I already cancelled." He shrugged.

"Oh." She nodded and felt a weight lift itself off her shoulders. "You didn't have to do that."

"I know, but I wanted to. We're trying for a baby and you come first right now. I don't want you to get all worked up about things that don't matter."

"I shouldn't come first." She shook her head. "I'm not a priority for you. You're not bound to me. I can take care of myself. Anything would have wound me up last night."

"You are a priority if you're going to be the mother of my child."

"I'm not the priority, our baby is."

Pete sighed and shook his head at her as he glanced down.

"It's fine, Pete."

"Yeah."

"Good." She nodded.

"I guess I'll see you later then." Pete turned to leave the office.

"Lunch?" she asked.

"Yeah, sure."

"My treat." She looked up at him.

"We'll see about that." He gave her a small smile before he left the office. Her lips curved into a small smile before she turned and began to work.


	9. Chapter 9

A few days later, when Pete and Sam finally got a chance to have a drink together, they sat at the bar on the beach. They both had a bottle of beer in their hand and looked around in silence.

"I was going to have drinks with a patient's mother the other day," Pete began after a while. Sam raised an eyebrow and turned to look at his friend. "I told Addison and she made a scene, so I cancelled."

"She made a 'scene'?" Sam waited for his friend to elaborate.

"I told her to make sure she was okay with it." Pete shrugged. "She seemed fine but then she started yelling and left."

"Well, that doesn't sound like Addison at all," Sam commented sarcastically. "Hate to burst your bubble, Pete, but that is _very_ Addison."

"What's the big deal? We were just going to have a drink together."

Sam shrugged and took a swig of her beer. "You'd have to ask her."

"She said she didn't mean it, she overreacted."

"Always does. That's Addison for you. You can always tell when she feels strongly about something. She makes a 'scene' as you call it and then says she overreacted the next day."

Pete sighed and took another swig of his beer. "I just don't get why."

"Addison works in mysterious ways. I've never been able to decipher her ways. You might be able to now that you're trying for a baby."

"I doubt it," he scoffed.

"You're getting _close_ to her." Sam looked at Pete and shrugged.

"Yeah but I still don't understand why she would flip like that. It's not like we're in a relationship."

Sam shrugged again and took a long sip of his beer. "That's Addison for you."

"Yeah, I guess." Pete gave a small nod.

"You'll soon learn how to handle her. Don't worry."

"I hope so."

"You will. You just better hope that your child doesn't inherit Addison's temper," he chuckled.

"God no. I'm still hoping it was just the hormones talking."

"I'll let you in on a secret. Addison Montgomery has one hell of a temper on her. You know her brother, Archer? Have you seen the scar he has on his forehead?"

"I'm not sure." Pete looked at Sam, confused.

"Just here," Sam pointed to just above his right eye, "in a straight line. They were arguing once, about something stupid, and she threw her straighteners or her hairdryer at him. I can't remember now."

"Wow." His eyes widened slightly. "So if I don't watch out she might actually hurt me?"

"Not intentionally," Sam quickly replied. "She wasn't actually aiming for his head. She has a crap aim, by the way. She was just throwing it in anger, to prove her point, but like I said, crap aim."

Pete chuckled at that and shook his head. "Good to know."

"Just don't argue with her when she's in a room where she has heavy objects to throw," Sam warned.

"I'll try not to."

"She's very opinionated too." Sam nodded.

"Yeah, I know that." Pete nodded as well.

"That's a good starting point. You've got a lot to learn."

"I do know her, though."

"You do," Sam agreed, "but there is a lot more to Addison Montgomery than just the surface."

"I know." Pete nodded again and sipped on his beer.

"It's not as hard to learn as you think." Sam looked at his friend.

"I've just never seen this side of her before."

"Well, get used to it my friend." Sam slapped Pete on the back. "It's going to crop up more and more. With all the hormones a woman has during pregnancy you're going to have fun."

"Thanks, man." Pete sighed.

"Any time." Sam smiled. Pete rolled his eyes at his friend before he finished the beer. "So, apart from that, how is everything between you and trying?"

"Good." He gave a small shrug. "Not long until the IVF now."

"That's good, right?" Sam pulled a face as he thought back to when he and Naomi were trying.

"Yeah, I'm just nervous about it."

"It's a scary thing becoming a parent," Sam agreed.

"It'll become scary when she's actually pregnant. Right now I just want it to work."

Sam nodded. "Of course you do."

"She'll be devastated if it doesn't."

"There are other options you can try. You don't have to give up hope if it does fail."

"There's only adoption."

"There's surrogacy. You could always foster too."

"I just really want this to work," he sighed.

"And it will. The two of you will find a way."

"I hope so." Pete looked at his friend and nodded. Sam nodded as well and a comfortable silence settled over them.

* * *

><p>"How are we feeling Mrs. Mayers?" Pete smiled at his elderly patient as he entered his office. "Ready for your acupuncture?"<p>

"As ready as can be." She smiled back at him.

"Good." He helped her on his acupuncture table before he began to gather everything he needed for the acupuncture.

"Such a lovely office," she commented as she looked around her.

"It's alright." Pete smiled softly.

"No photos of a family, I notice." She tipped her head in the direction of his desk.

"Well," he glanced at the table before back at the table, "I don't have a family of my own, yet."

"Yet?" she questioned and raised and eyebrow curiously.

"I'm trying, actually." Pete gave a smile as he walked back to the table. "For a baby."

"I take it there's a Mrs. Wilder then?" Mrs. Mayers smiled.

"Erm, no, there isn't." He shook his head. "I have a close friend who really wants a baby. We're trying together."

She couldn't help but let her lips twitch into a knowing smile. "A close friend? I see." She nodded slowly.

"See what?" Pete looked down at her as he began with the acupuncture.

"She's a close friend, eh?"

"She is." He nodded. "We've been friends for years."

"Ah." She smiled widely and nodded. "That makes sense."

"We both want a baby." Pete gave a small shrug.

"Of course you do and there is only one person for you have to a baby with."

"We just get along really well," he explained. "Right now she's the only one in my life I'd want to have a baby with."

Mrs. Mayer's grin widened. "The _only one_ you want to have a baby with," she repeated.

"Well, I'm not in a relationship."

"Not yet," she pointed out.

"Who knows if I'll ever be in a relationship with someone for so long that I'll want to have a baby with them?"

"Just give it time, Dr. Wilder." She patted his arm with a grin on her face.

"I'm not the youngest anymore."

"That doesn't matter. Age isn't what a relationship is based on."

"But if I want to have a baby I should have one soon, shouldn't I?"

"That's your choice. You have one when you're ready."

"Well, I'm ready now. We really want a baby."

"And you'll get one." She nodded.

"I really hope so." He gave a smile.

"Have hope."

"I do, I'm just a little scared."

"Good." She smiled. "Everyone is scared at the start."

"Yeah." Pete nodded.

"You have each other. That is what matters and the bundle of joy you get after the nine months."

"Hopefully."

"You will, trust me." She nodded.

* * *

><p>AN: So, this was just a bit of a filler chapter. We hope you liked it!


	10. Chapter 10

A/N: Ahhh, so I suck, I know, I know. Shoot me_. _Life took over. It does that alot. I'm sorry. Forgive me?

* * *

><p>Pete was sat in front of the TV, sipping on a bottle of beer and switching through the channels, when there was a knock on his front door.<p>

"Hey," Addison spoke softly and looked up at him as he answered the door. "Can I come in?"

"Yeah, of course." He nodded and opened the door wider before closing it behind her.

"I brought Italian." She held up a brown bag as she stepped into the hallway.

"Oh, good, I haven't cooked anything." Pete took hold of the bag. "I didn't know you were coming over."

"I'm not interrupting anything am I?" Addison's face suddenly fell and she lowered her hand with the food. "I can go."

"No, no, you're not." He shook his head and smiled softly as he looked at her. "I just wasn't expecting you."

"If you'd planned something I can go." She motioned towards the door.

"I haven't planned anything." Pete looked at her. "Stay." Addison nodded and made her way into the kitchen where she placed the bag of food down. Pete followed her and got two plates from the cupboard before he placed them next to the bag.

"I didn't know what you wanted so I got a bit of everything," she explained as she began to take the food out of the bag.

"Sounds good." He gave a smile. Addison nodded and piled some food on the two plates. "What do you want to drink?" Pete watched her.

"Water is fine."

Pete nodded and got them each a glass before they moved into the living room together. They began to eat in a comfortable silence. Addison kept her gaze on her plate the whole time she ate.

Pete noticed her behaviour and tried to break the silence after a while. "So, any reason you decided to stop by?"

She shrugged and shoved some food around her plate. "I didn't feel like being alone."

He nodded and leaned back into the couch. "Well, I'm glad you came here."

"You are?" she questioned and looked up at him.

"Yeah." Pete nodded again. "You shouldn't be alone if you don't want to."

"Okay." She nodded.

"Are you alright?" He watched her.

"Yeah, I'm fine."

"You don't look fine."

"I am, honestly."

"You know you can talk to me."

"I know." Addison nodded and looked back down at her food. Pete did the same and they continued to eat in silence with the noise of the TV in the background.

"Are they any films on?" Addison asked after a while.

"I don't know." He gave a small shrug and reached for the remote. "What do you feel like watching?"

"Anything."

Pete nodded and zapped through the channels before settling on _Sleepless__in__Seattle_. She curled her legs underneath her body and leaned back into the couch.

"Ice cream?" He glanced at her as he put his empty plate on the coffee table.

"Sure." She nodded and looked at him. Pete gave a smile and carried their plates into the kitchen before he returned with a bowl of ice cream. They sat and ate their ice cream together while they absently watched the film.

"I've been thinking about visiting my mother to find out about my father," Pete began to speak after a while.

Addison turned her head to look at him. "Do you want me to come with you?"

He looked back at her before he shook his head. "No, you shouldn't have to go there."

"And you shouldn't have to go alone," she pointed out.

"I'll be alright."

"I don't mind coming with you."

"Really?" Pete looked at her. "I haven't seen my mum in years. I don't know what state she's in."

"That means that you shouldn't go alone." Addison reached out for his hand and squeezed it.

"Thank you." He gave a small smile as he looked at her.

"When are you thinking of going?" she asked.

"I don't know yet." Pete shook his head. "Soon, I think."

"Okay." Addison nodded and squeezed his hand again. Pete gave a soft smile and gave a squeeze back. "It'll be okay," she reassured him.

"I hope so."

"It will."

Pete nodded and looked down at their hands.

"Well, we've missed this film," Addison commented and nodded towards the TV where the credits were rolling.

"Looks like we did," he agreed. "But we've seen it before."

"True." She nodded. Pete gave a soft smile and put the bowl of ice cream on the table before leaning back into the couch. A comfortable silence surrounded them as they leaned back into the couch.

"Are you nervous?" Pete spoke after a while. "Naomi scheduled the IVF today, didn't she?" Addison nodded slowly and began to lean into his side. "Three more weeks."

"It's not long," she spoke quietly.

"No, it's not." He shook his head and shifted so he could wrap an arm around her shoulders as she leaned into him. Instantly Addison rested her head against his chest so she could hear his heartbeat.

"You don't have to be scared." Pete softly rubbed her arm.

"Aren't you?"

"A little," he admitted. "But I don't want you to worry too much. It doesn't do you any good. You're not alone, no matter what happens."

"I know I'm not. I know I have you."

"So whatever happens, we'll do it together." He looked ahead of him as he gently ran a hand through her hair.

"We will," she agreed and nodded. "Together." Pete gave a small smile and rested his cheek against the top of her head.

"Do you promise you'll always be here?" Addison whispered and slowly looked up at him.

He lifted his head so he could look back at her before he slowly nodded. "I promise."

"I can't do it alone. I need you to be here, no matter what."

"You won't be alone, Addison. I'll be there for you, for whatever you need. I promised you and I'm going to keep my promise."

"Thank you," she whispered and looked up at him.

"Always." Pete gave a soft smile and brushed a strand of hair behind her ear as he looked down at her.

A comfortable silence fell over the pair of them before Addison slowly began to lean closer. He watched her for a few seconds and began to lean closer as well before placing a light, tender kiss on her lips and slowly pulling back again so their faces were still close. She cupped his face and pulled him closer to kiss him again. Pete closed his eyes and kissed her back instantly, his arm tightening around her. Addison shifted closer to him and wrapped her arms around his neck. He slid his hands to the small of her back to hold her tight to him as they kissed.

"Shall we go upstairs?" she whispered. Pete nodded before he returned his lips to hers and stood up with her in his arms. Carefully, he carried her up the stairs and into his bedroom where they gently made love.

* * *

><p>Okay, we just couldn't not have this cuteness in here. They also needed to take this step, don't you think?<p> 


	11. Chapter 11

A/N: Remember me? Probably not and I'm sure those of you who do remember me hate me by now. I am sorry for the alck of updates for however long it's been, things have been too hectic for me to get around to actually updating. It's a New Year now so hopefully I will be sticking to updating each week without fail and hopefully you all won't hate me quite so much anymore.

* * *

><p>Three weeks later, Addison was sat on her bed in the exam room as she waited for Naomi to run a few more tests before the surgery. She swallowed the lump in her throat and tried to calm herself.<p>

"Alright?" Naomi smiled softly as she looked at her friend. "Is Pete coming soon?"

"He's on his way." Addison nodded.

"Good." She nodded. "Shall we get started?"

"No. Not until Pete is here."

"Okay." She gave an understanding smile.

"Thank you." Addison gave a nervous smile.

"Try to stay calm."

"I'm trying. It's easier said than done."

"I know." Naomi nodded and reached for her friend's hand to give it a squeeze just as the door to the room opened. Addison breathed a sigh of relief as she saw Pete and held a hand out to him.

"Sorry, traffic," he apologized a little out of breath as he took hold of her hand to stand by her side.

"It's okay. You're here now."

"I am." Pete nodded as he linked his fingers with hers before he looked at Naomi.

"Okay, we're ready." Addison took a deep breath and looked at her friend.

"Good." Naomi nodded. "I have to take one last exam and also do a compulsory pregnancy test, just to be on the safe side. Once that's done we can start prepping you for the surgery."

Addison nodded. "Okay. Do what you have to." Naomi nodded as well and began to do the tests while Pete stayed by Addison's side. Addison turned her gaze from her friend and looked up at Pete.

He gave her a smile and placed his free hand on her back. "Are you alright?" She nodded slowly and let out a slow breath. "Do you need anything?"

"No." She shook her head.

"Okay." Pete nodded and gently squeezed her hand. She squeezed back and turned her head to look at Naomi who finished the exam and the test before she turned to smile at them.

"I'm going to get the nurse to prep you while we get the results for the test."

Addison nodded and tried to let herself relax a little.

"I'll be back in a while." Naomi looked at them before she turned and left the room.

"I'm so scared," Addison whispered as Naomi left the room.

"I know." Pete wrapped an arm around her as she sat on the bed.

"What if this doesn't work?"

"Then we'll find another way."

Addison nodded slowly and tears began to shine in her eyes.

"Hey," Pete whispered and placed a hand on her cheek as he looked down at her.

"This is our only chance," she whispered.

"And we'll try and take it. We have to stay positive."

"We have no control over whether this works or not, Pete."

"We can still stay positive."

She gave a nod and turned her gaze to around the room. Pete kept an arm around her and his fingers linked with hers as they waited for the nurse.

Half an hour later Naomi walked back into the room with the results that she needed.

"Erm, could you leave us alone for a minute, please?" Naomi gave the nurses a polite smile.

Addison's face fell at the sound of her friend's voice. "There's something wrong, isn't there?"

Naomi waited until the nurses closed the door behind them before she turned to face Addison and Pete. "I'm afraid we can't do the IVF."

"I never should have thought about doing this." Addison shook her head and tried not to cry. "I knew it wouldn't work. I was kidding myself."

"Addison." Naomi looked at her friend sternly before her lips curved into a smile. "It was positive. The pregnancy test I did was positive. You're already pregnant."

She froze at her friend's words. "Wh…what?"

"You're pregnant, Addi." She gave a teary smile. "It's a miracle but it's the truth. I checked twice."

"But…" Addison trailed off. She didn't know what to say. She didn't know what to think. _Pregnant._ She was _pregnant_ and they had conceived naturally.

"Are you sure?" Pete looked at Naomi in disbelief. "You tested twice?"

"Run the test again." Addison looked at her friend.

"I just ran it, Addison." Naomi looked back at her. "You can see the results for yourself. Both are positive."

"Run it again," she demanded.

"Alright." Naomi nodded slowly. "I'll draw some more blood and run it again."

"Thank you." Addison nodded.

Pete stood by the side of Addison's bed and watched in silence as Naomi got more blood from Addison and then left the room once more. Addison didn't utter a word as they waited for the test results, instead she stared straight ahead. Pete watched her the whole time before he silently took hold of her hand. She linked their fingers together but did not turn her head to look at him. Neither of them spoke a single word and it seemed like an eternity until Naomi returned.

"Well?" Addison asked and looked up at her friend.

"It's positive," Naomi spoke quietly. "Just like the first two. You're pregnant, Addi." Addison stared at her friend before she got up off the bed and left the room.

"Addison." Pete looked after her but she didn't stop, she carried on going. He sighed before he walked past Naomi out of the room to follow her. She had turned straight into the ladies and locked herself into a cubicle. She leaned against the wall before she buried her face into her hands. Slowly she let her body slide down to the floor before she let the tears fall, the sobs racking through her body. There was a knock against the door to the ladies room but she ignored it as she cried. Instead, Addison hugged her knees close to her chest and tried to cry quietly.

"Addison?" Pete's voice rang inside from where he was stood in front of the door. She gave a small sniffle and buried her face into her knees. She could hear the door open and close and someone walk inside, but no one said anything. Addison stayed as quiet as possible.

"Addison," Pete began softly. "Are you alright?" She let out a shaky breath but did not reply. He leaned against the door of her cubicle and gave a sigh. "Can you unlock the door?"

"No," she whispered.

"Why not?"

"Because." Addison sniffled again. Pete nodded and didn't say anything else. "I want to be alone," she whispered.

"Alright." He pushed himself off the wall.

Addison gave a nod but didn't say anything more. She could hear the door open and close once more before silence filled the room. Another shaky breath left her lips before she leaned back and placed a hand on her stomach. She couldn't believe that she was pregnant.

_Pregnant_.

There was actually a life growing inside of her. A life that she was sure she'd never get. She'd thrown her chances away. Why should she be given another chance? There was almost no hope for her to ever get pregnant again and now here she was. She couldn't get her head around the idea. She was going to be a _mother_. This had been her dream for so long and now it was actually going to happen. It didn't seem real. It didn't seem possible. She had nearly lost all hope, how could she be pregnant? It couldn't be true. It just couldn't be. The tests couldn't be right. They just couldn't be.

Addison took a deep breath and stood up from the floor. She took some toilet paper to wipe away the tears from her cheeks before she unlocked the door and straightened herself up in front of the mirror. She splashed some water onto her face and took another deep breath before she walked out of the bathroom. She made her way along the hallway and back to her room where she could get changed.

Once Addison had changed, she made her way to Naomi's office and walked inside. Naomi was sat behind her desk and glanced up when she heard someone walk in.

"I want to see the results."

"They're in your file."

Addison nodded and made her way over to Naomi's desk where her file lay.

"I ran the test three times, Addison." Naomi watched her best friend. Addison was silent as she stared down at the results. "I know it's hard to believe. It really is a miracle."

"But…but…how?" Slowly Addison lowered herself down into a chair.

"I guess the hormones worked." Naomi shrugged and gave a soft smile. "And you and Pete got _really_ lucky."

"I don't understand. It was nearly impossible."

"There was still a chance, that's why you tried in the first place."

Addison leaned back and didn't tear her gaze from the positive results in her hands.

"Are you okay?" Naomi watched her.

"I…yes." She nodded. "I'm pregnant. I'm actually _pregnant_."

"You are." She nodded.

"Oh my god."

"I thought you'd react like that."

"I'm having a baby! A baby for god's sake." Addison buried her face into her hands. "Oh my god. I'm going to screw up. They're going to hate me. My own child is going to _hate_ me."

"Don't be stupid." Naomi rolled her eyes, knowingly. "You'll be a great mum, Addi."

"No, I won't," she wailed. "I'll be a failure."

"You won't be a failure."

"Yes, I will! I've screwed everything up in my life. I'll screw my baby's life up. Oh my god."

"Addi, you need to calm down." Naomi watched her. "You're not alone, okay? You will be fine."

Addison sighed and briefly closed her eyes. "I need to go and see Pete."

"Where is he?"

"I don't know. I need to find him." Addison stood up from the chair and left the office. She made her way along the hallway towards his office but when she pushed open the door she found it empty. "Pete?" she called and made her way towards the kitchen. She could see him standing with his back towards her, talking to Sam.

"Pete," she called softly and hung back. He turned around at the sound of her voice and looked at her in silence. Sam glanced between the two of them before he quietly left the room to give them privacy. "Can we talk in my office?" she asked.

"Sure." He gave a small nod.

Once they were inside Addison's office and sat down on the couch, Addison began to talk. "I'm pregnant. I'm pregnant and I'm scared."

"I know." Pete nodded as he looked at her.

"I didn't…" She looked down at her hands. "I didn't expect to fall pregnant," she admitted quietly.

"But you are now."

"And I am so scared." She looked up at him.

"I am too, but we'll be okay."

"What if I screw up? What if something happens?"

"Parents screw up from time to time."

"They'll hate me," she whispered and looked at Pete.

"Why would they hate you?" Pete looked down at her.

"I'm a screw up, Pete. Every important relationship I've screwed up."

"You're not a screw up and you'll be a great mum."

"I'm not so sure," she whispered as she shook her head.

Pete sighed and looked at her. "Can't you just be happy for five minutes? You've spent the last couple of weeks worrying and now...I mean it actually worked."

"We're having a baby." Addison gave him a watery smile as the tears began to build up.

"We are." He nodded.

"I'm actually pregnant."

Pete looked down at her and gave a small smile.

"We're pregnant." She smiled back at him.

"We're going to have a baby." He nodded. Addison reached out and took hold of his hand before she placed it on her stomach. Pete looked down at his hand and slowly spread his fingers on the fabric of her shirt.

"Our baby," she whispered.

"Our baby." He smiled softly as he glanced up into her face.

"We're going to be parents."

"I know," Pete spoke quietly. "Did Naomi tell you how far along you are?"

"No." She shook her head. "We haven't got that far yet." Pete nodded and absently began to caress her stomach. "We'll find out together," she whispered. He nodded once more before he wrapped his free arm around her to pull her closer. Addison leaned into his side instantly and placed her hand on top of his on her stomach.

Pete placed a kiss on the top of her head and smiled softly. "We have to be careful now," he spoke softly.

"We do." She nodded. "I don't want to loose our baby."

"I'm going to have to make sure you rest and eat enough."

"I will. You won't have to worry," she reassured him.

"I'm still going to worry." He gave a small shrug.

"I know." Addison nodded and rested her head on his shoulder.

"I can't believe I'm going to be a dad." Pete smiled.

"I'll be a mum," she whispered. "We'll be parents."

"It's scary, but we'll have each other."

"No matter what."


	12. Chapter 12

A/N: Look, I'm updating when I said I would! Let's just hope there are still people out there reading this!

* * *

><p>Addison nervously sat on the edge of the exam table with Pete by her side. They were waiting for Naomi to do the twelve week scan of their baby. It would be the first time they'd get to see the tiny life. Pete was holding her hand and absently toyed with her fingers, trying to hide his own nervousness.<p>

"Can you believe we're about to see our baby?" Addison asked and turned her head to look at Pete.

"No." He smiled softly. "It's pretty amazing."

"Twelve weeks," she mused. "Twelve weeks."

"If time keeps going so quick they'll be here in no time."

She nodded slowly. "I want to relish this pregnancy. It'll be the only one I'll have."

"I can't wait for them to start moving." Pete smiled as he moved his hand to her stomach.

"That will be amazing." She grinned.

"I hope I'll be there for when they first move."

"We still have a while yet before the baby starts moving," she reassured him. Pete nodded and turned his head to the door when Naomi walked into the room to do the scan. Addison took a deep breath and sat up a little straighter.

"Are you two ready to see your baby?" Naomi smiled brightly as Addison lay back on the exam table.

"Of course." Addison nodded and pulled her top up to reveal her still flat stomach.

"This is going to be cold," Naomi warned her friend as she applied the gel before she turned the ultrasound on and took hold of the wand. Addison nodded again and turned her head to look at the monitor as they waited for Naomi to find their baby. Pete pushed his hands into the pocket of his jeans and nervously watched the screen. They both eagerly watched and waited.

"Here we go." Naomi grinned as she found the heartbeat and turned the volume up. "This is your little baby." Addison's eyes widened as she looked at the tiny image on the screen and the sound filled her ears. "The heartbeat is strong," Naomi commented. "Everything looks fine."

"Our baby," Addison whispered as her vision started to become blurry from her tears.

"I know." Pete smiled softly at the monitor. "I can't believe it."

"It's amazing," she whispered as a tear rolled down her cheek. "That's our baby."

Pete smiled happily and took hold of Addison's hand. "Our baby."

"Everything is fine?" Addison asked her friend but didn't tear her gaze from the grainy image.

"Everything looks perfect." Naomi nodded.

"Good. That's good. Everything needs to be perfect."

"Relax, Addi." Naomi looked at her friend. "Everything is going fine."

"I hope so."

"We'll keep doing regular check ups and Pete is going to keep taking such good care of you and there will be no problems."

Addison nodded slowly and watched their baby on the screen.

"It's amazing," Pete whispered, still unable to tear his eyes away.

"We've created a life together."

"We have." He smiled and linked their fingers together. "We did that."

"It's a miracle," Addison whispered and squeezed his hand.

"Do you want to know your due date?" Naomi smiled.

"Yes." Addison nodded. "We do."

"January 21st."

"A New Year baby." She smiled softly. Pete smiled as well and squeezed her hand softly.

After a few more minutes, they finished the scan and Pete and Addison made their way along to Addison's office.

"Did you want to grab some lunch later?" Pete asked as they reached the door to her office.

"That sounds good." Addison nodded and turned to face him.

"Good." He gave a smile.

"Any preferences?"

"I don't mind. You? Still craving burgers?"

"No." She shook her head. "How about that new café on the beach?"

"Sure, that sounds good." Pete nodded. "I'll meet you here."

"Great." Addison smiled before she turned and walked into her office.

* * *

><p>That night Addison was sat on her couch in the living room and leaned back into the cushions as she dialled a familiar number. She held the phone up to her ear and listened to the dialling tone before a voice floated down the line.<p>

_"Hey, Ads, what's up?"_ She could hear the smile in her brother's voice.

"Hey, Arch, I'm not interrupting, am I?"

_"Nope, just watching TV. How are you?"_

"I'm good, really good." She nodded. "Arch, I have something to tell you."

_"You do?"_ He frowned at his sister's words. _"What is it?"_

Addison couldn't help the big grin that spread across her face. "You're going to be an uncle!"

_"What?" _Archer's eyes widened._ "Are you serious? You're pregnant?"_

"I am, I'm twelve weeks along. We had the first scan today. It's so amazing, Arch. I never realised just how amazing it is to see your baby for the first time and hear their heartbeat."

_"Twelve weeks? That's good, second trimester. I can't believe it, Ads, I'm so happy for you."_

"Thank you, Arch." She smiled happily and looked at the scan print that sat on her coffee table.

_"Pete must be happy as well."_

"He really is. He's making sure I eat well and I'm resting too, so you don't have to worry about that."

_"Good." _Archer nodded. _"It's his job to take care of you now."_

"It's not his job to take care of me, just the baby," she pointed out and curled her legs underneath her body.

_"Oh well, same thing." _He shrugged_. "Either way, you have to be careful."_

"I am, don't worry. I'm not going to do anything to jeopardise this pregnancy, Arch."

_"Good."_ Archer nodded. "_I can't believe my baby sister is having a baby."_

She laughed softly. "Thought you'd have one before me?" she teased.

_"No, but still."_ He smiled._ "I'm really happy for you."_

"I never thought it would happen," she admitted and placed a hand on her stomach. It was a habit that she had soon become accustomed to.

_"I know, that's why I'm so happy. You're getting everything you ever wanted, aren't you?"_

Her smile faltered. "Well, nearly everything."

_"What else is there?"_

"I'm having a baby with Pete but that's as far as it goes. I always imagined it differently."

_"What about you and Pete?"_ Archer asked casually.

"There is no Pete and I. We're friends having a baby, that's it, nothing more."

_"Why not though? I mean, you like each other enough to want a child together."_

"We're friends, Arch. We're friends who both want a baby."

_"Hmm, alright then."_ He gave a sigh.

"My due date is January 21st will you fly over for then?" she asked hopefully.

_"Of course. There's no way I'm missing the birth of my niece or nephew."_ Archer smiled.

"Good." Addison smiled happily.

_"I can't wait to be an uncle."_

"A free babysitter," she teased.

_"Oh right."_ He rolled his eyes. _"What are you going to need a babysitter for anyway?"_

"I might want to go out. Anyway, what about when I have to work late?"

_"Well, there's Pete as well then. But don't worry, I'll be happy to baby-sit as often as I can."_

"Good. I better let you go. I have to get some dinner."

_"Take care, Ads, and call me if there's anything you need, okay?"_

"I will, don't worry, Arch. Bye."

"Bye, Ads." He smiled before they both hung up


	13. Chapter 13

As Pete walked out of his office a few weeks later, he looked up to see Addison stood at the reception desk with another guy. He didn't think much of it first but as he heard Addison's girly giggle and saw the way the guy looked at her he came to a stop and watched them. He felt his whole body tense as he watched the interaction between the two of them. He knew exactly what the guy's intentions were and it only made his body tense even more and his grip on the file he was carrying tightened.

"Hey," a voice appeared by the side of him.

"Hey." Pete briefly glanced down to see Naomi standing next to him.

She frowned as she caught the expression on his face. "Is something wrong?"

"No, everything's fine."

"It doesn't seem it."

"That guy is hitting on Addison." Pete nodded in their direction but didn't tear is gaze from them. Naomi let her gaze travel to the two of them and watched. "He's not even trying to be subtle about it," he scoffed annoyed as the guy touched Addison's arm.

"Does it bother you?"

"No...it doesn't."

"Really?" Naomi raised an eyebrow. "It doesn't seem like that."

"It doesn't bother me, it's just...I mean she's pregnant. Why would she flirt with him when she's pregnant?"

Naomi gave a knowing smile. "It _is_ bothering you."

"I just don't get it." Pete shrugged. "I mean, I was going to have drinks with another woman and she started yelling at me. And she wasn't even pregnant back then."

"So, what is bothering you the most about this? That it seems she doesn't care?"

"No. I mean, I don't know, just the fact that she's flirting with him."

"Pete, whose baby is she carrying?"

"Mine." He looked down at Naomi.

"_Exactly_." Naomi looked back at him. "She chose to have a baby with _you_, not him."

"But she's still flirting with _him_."

Naomi smiled softly and shook her head. "Pete, she chose _you_. Deciding to have a baby with you was a big decision for Addison. She didn't think about it lightly. She _wants_ to have a baby with you. She wants you in her life. She's not the type of person to have a baby with just anyone. The fact that she chose to have a baby with you shows that she cares. She cares _a lot_."

"I was the only one who offered to have a baby with her." Pete looked at her and she could see the insecurity in his eyes.

She smiled softly. "She could have easily have said no."

Pete sighed and looked back at Addison. "It's just weird, seeing her with someone else when she's carrying my baby."

"You really don't know Addison that well, do you?" Naomi couldn't help but laugh.

"I do know her." He looked back at her.

"Take a proper look at her and her body language right now."

Pete frowned slightly and turned back towards Addison and the guy.

"See how her head and her body is slightly angled this way, towards you?" she asked. "See how her eyes don't ever stay on him for very long?"

"But why would she do that? I mean I can't even blame her if she wants to flirt with him."

Naomi grinned. "She wants your attention."

"My attention?" He frowned as he looked at Naomi. "She has my attention."

"If you think so." She shrugged. "I can tell you without a doubt that she'll turn around in a minute, walk over here to you and touch your arm." Pete looked at her unsure before he turned his attention back to the reception where Addison was still talking to the guy. "Just watch, Pete," Naomi spoke confidently. She knew exactly how her friend worked.

He kept his eyes on the two of them and watched as Addison politely excused herself from the conversation, grabbed a file from the reception and turned around to walk away. As Addison caught sight of Pete, she smiled and lifted her hand in a wave. He gave a small smile back and lifted his fingers in a small wave.

"Hey, I thought you weren't coming in until later." She stopped by his side.

"I came early because I had some paperwork to catch up on," Pete explained.

"Do you think you could take a quick look at my patient?" she asked and placed a hand on his arm.

"Yeah, of course." He glanced at her hand before back up at her face.

"Great." She smiled happily and began to give him a quick account of her patient. Naomi smiled as she watched them make their way back to Addison's office.

* * *

><p>Naomi smiled at her friend as she sat down across from her in the kitchen during lunch that day. Addison smiled back before she ate another mouthful of her salad.<p>

"How are you feeling?" Naomi looked at her as she took a bite of her apple.

"Good." Addison nodded. "Good. You?"

"I'm fine." She gave a smile. "How's the morning sickness?"

"Getting better. It's easing off now."

"That's good." Naomi nodded. "I remember when I had it, it was horrible. And you shouldn't have to go through it alone either."

"It really is," Addison agreed and ate another mouthful.

"Was that a patient you were talking to earlier at the reception?" she asked casually.

Addison frowned as she tried to remember. "Oh, no, well, his sister's son is a patient of Cooper's."

"Oh." Naomi nodded and took another bite.

"He wanted to know where the toilets were." Addison shrugged.

"Pete thought he was trying to flirt with you." She looked down at the newspaper and turned the page.

"Oh." Addison's lips curved into a frown. Naomi nodded and looked back up at her. "I didn't notice." Addison shrugged again and continued to eat.

"What if he had been trying to flirt with you?" She watched her.

"What if he had? Nothing would have happened."

"Okay." Naomi nodded.

"I'm pregnant, Nae, being in a relationship isn't top of my list right now."

"I was just wondering." She shrugged. "Are you and Pete still, you know?"

"Still what?"

"Having sex." Naomi looked at her best friend.

"Oh, well, we haven't since we found out I was pregnant." Addison shook her head slightly.

Naomi nodded. "Well, that was a while ago then."

"Yeah, there's not really been a need for us to." She shrugged.

"Yeah, now that you're pregnant."

Addison nodded slowly and looked up at her friend.

"I just wasn't sure because you're spending so much time together and you seemed to be enjoying it while it lasted."

"We were," she agreed. "It was nice to have that closeness, but you don't need to be in bed with someone to be close I've realised."

"No, you don't," she agreed and smiled softly.

"Exactly. Pete and I are just enjoying this pregnancy."

"That's good, you should." Naomi nodded. "I was just wondering how things were between you two."

"Things are good."

Naomi nodded once more and took another bite of her apple.

"Archer is over the moon," Addison told her friend. "He's really happy and he can't wait to meet his niece or nephew."

"Oh he's going to be a great uncle." She smirked.

"Isn't he just?" Addison rolled her eyes but smiled.

"Kids love Archer." Naomi smiled as well.

"They really do."

"That baby is so loved already and it's not even born yet. You should've heard Maya when I told her. She's so excited."

"She is?" Addison looked at her friend.

"Yeah." Naomi nodded. "She's going to beg you to let her baby sit."

Addison laughed softly at the girl's enthusiasm. "Tell her anytime she wants."

"I will." Naomi smiled.

"I still find it hard to believe."

"I know. It feels like it happened so fast. I'm so happy for you and Pete, you have no idea."

"Thank you, Nae." Addison smiled softly.

"Have you already talked about how things are going to work out once the baby is born?"

"No." She shook her head. "We haven't discussed that yet. We haven't discussed much. We don't want to jinx it."

"Yeah, you still got plenty of time," Naomi agreed.

"We do. We have five months."

"The real fun of the pregnancy hasn't even started yet," she joked. "Believe me."

Addison rolled her eyes. "Don't sugar coat it, Nae, will you."

"Oh I'm not." She smiled. "Well, it does start out fun. When I reached my third semester I couldn't keep my hands off Sam."

"Well, that makes me feel great."

"Why? Sam enjoyed it." Naomi shrugged and ate some more of her apple.

"Yes, but what am I meant to do? I'm not married," she pointed out.

"Oh, right. I just gathered..." she trailed off. "Well, not all women get a crazy sex drive during their third semester."

"I guess." Addison nodded slightly.

"There's always Pete," Naomi added quietly and looked down at the newspaper.

"Yeah, I guess there is."

"I didn't mean to upset you, I was just saying. You probably won't even get as bad as I was."

"Yeah." Addison nodded. "You're probably right." Naomi nodded as well and finished eating her apple.

* * *

><p>That night Pete was stood in front of Addison's house with a bag of homemade Spaghetti in one hand and a movie in the other. She opened the door and was surprised to see him stood there.<p>

"Hey." Pete smiled as he looked at her. "Am I interrupting anything?"

"No, no. Come in." Addison held then door open wider for him before they made their way to the kitchen.

"I made you Spaghetti." He put the bag down on the counter. "Have you eaten?"

"Not yet." She shook her head and pulled two plates from the cupboard. "Have you?"

"No, I thought we could eat together."

"Good. What would you like to drink?"

"Just water." Pete shrugged as he put the food on two plates. "You would have eaten if I hadn't come over, right?"

"Of course." Addison nodded and looked at him. "I was just thinking about what I wanted for dinner."

"Good." He nodded slowly. "Otherwise I'm going to do this every night from now on."

She rolled her eyes but smiled softly as she got them both a glass of water. Pete carried the food into the living room and put it down on the table as Addison followed him with their drinks.

"What else did you bring?" she asked and motioned to the film as she began to eat.

"Oh just a movie I thought you might want to watch later." He picked up his plate and began to eat as well. Addison nodded and a comfortable silence settled over them as they ate.

"Like it?" Pete asked after a while and looked up at her.

"It's lovely." She smiled at him. "Thank you. You know you don't have to keep cooking for me, right?"

"I want to." He shrugged slightly. "There isn't much I can do for you anyway, so I thought I'd at least make sure you eat."

"Thank you, Pete."

"You're welcome." Pete smiled softly. "I'm glad you like it."

Once they had both finished their meals, Addison turned to face him fully. "You know, we should start planning for when the baby is here."

"Should we?" Pete leaned into the couch as he looked at her. "We still have a couple of months."

"We should at least start thinking."

"Alright." He nodded.

"We need to decide who the baby will be with and when."

"Well," Pete began, "I thought that once the baby is born I'll take a couple of weeks off so I can be there for both of you and help you adjust. Obviously they'll stay with you first and then when they're old enough we can take turns."

Addison nodded. "That sounds good. Sensible too. Would we have the baby with me during the week and you at weekends or?"

"I don't know." He shrugged. "I don't think we necessarily have to do it like that."

"Okay." She nodded. "I guess we don't."

"I mean we can if you want to. But you might want to take them somewhere one weekend or I might want to see them during the week."

"Well, we won't be able to do that until they're older so we don't have to think about that just yet."

"Yeah, you're right."

"So, after the baby is born you'll take a few weeks off?"

"Yeah." Pete nodded. "To help you with everything."

"That sounds good. You should be there at the beginning."

"Have you thought about what last name you want them to have?"

Addison frowned. "I never even considered that."

"I only just thought of it as well."

"Well, we could hyphen our names?" she suggested and tilted her head to the side.

"Yeah, we probably could."

"I want to have the same name as my baby."

Pete looked at her and nodded.

"If we hyphen our names then we both have Montgomery and the baby has your name too."

"That's probably the best solution," he agreed.

"What do you think about middles names?" she asked and settled herself back on the couch.

"I think if we choose one it should have some kind of meaning."

"Okay, that seems fair enough." Addison nodded. "Is there anything else that you think is important for us to do?"

"I don't think so." He shook his head. "I think most other things can wait a little longer for us to discuss."

"Okay. That's fine."

"Is there anything you want to talk about?" Pete watched her and took hold of her legs to put them into his lap.

She thought about it for a few moments as she let herself relax into his touch. "I don't think so." Pete nodded and looked at her as he gently began to massage her feet. "Hmm, that feels wonderful," she murmured and closed her eyes.

"Those heels you're wearing all day must be killing your feet." He smiled softly at the look on her face.

"I'm swapping them for flats you'll be pleased to know." Addison leaned her head back and repositioned herself so she was much more comfortable.

"I am." Pete nodded and looked down at her feet as he massaged them.

"I won't be wearing maternity clothes for a while," she murmured and gave a yawn.

"No, you're not even showing yet." He hesitated before he reached out and placed one of his hands on her stomach.

"I'm completely flat." Addison opened her eyes and set her mouth into a pout.

"Most women would be happy about that." Pete smiled softly as he ran his finger over her stomach.

"But I want a little bump. I want to be able to see that I have a life growing inside of me. A life that we created."

"Yeah." He nodded and softly rubbed the spot where their baby was. "I'm sure you will be soon enough though."

"Hmm." She nodded and closed her eyes again. Pete smiled and returned his hands to her feet to massage them. "Thank you," she whispered and let her whole body relax.

* * *

><p>AN: We couldn't resist teasing Pete there and making him jealous :P


	14. Chapter 14

A few mornings later, Addison sat at the island in Pete's kitchen after he had made her some breakfast.

He leaned against the counter with a bowl of cereal in his hands and watched her eat. "So, I've decided," he began. "I'm going to go see my mother this week."

She swallowed a mouthful of food and looked up at him. "Oh."

"Yeah." Pete nodded. "But you won't have to come with me. I'll go alone."

"I don't mind coming with you." She put her fork down and wiped her mouth. "You shouldn't have to go alone."

"It's fine, really." He looked at her. "I haven't seen her in years, I feel like I should do this on my own."

"Are you sure? I really don't mind coming with you."

"I know, but I'm sure. You shouldn't have to go there anyway."

"Let me drive you there," she offered and stood up to carry her plate to the sink.

"I don't know how long I'll be." Pete watched her.

"I don't mind waiting." Addison placed her hand softly on his arm. "Really."

"You'll be waiting in front of jail." He sighed slightly.

She rubbed his arm soothingly. "You could always give me a call when you've finished."

Pete looked down at her unsure before he gave a small nod. "Alright."

"Good." Addison nodded happily. "When do you plan to go and see her?"

"I thought Thursday morning would be good. I have no patients then."

"I'll make sure my schedule is cleared. Maybe we could get lunch on the way back?" she suggested.

"That sounds good." Pete nodded and took hold of her hands as he looked at her. "Thank you for understanding. It wouldn't feel right, having you and our baby anywhere near her."

"It's your choice." She gave a nod. "Will you tell her about the baby?"

"I might, I don't know yet."

Addison nodded slowly and studied his face. He gave her a small smile before he slowly let go of her hands again.

* * *

><p>A couple of days later Pete got out of Addison's car in front of the jail his mother was in.<p>

"Give me a call, okay?" Addison called out of the open passenger's window.

"I will." Pete nodded as he looked back at her. "Shouldn't be too long."

"Okay. Good luck, Pete."

"Thank you." He gave her a small smile before he turned and walked into the building.

The sound of Addison pulling away filled his ears as a guard buzzed him into the grounds of the prison. Pete looked around as he walked inside where a police officer greeted him. He was instructed to hand over everything in his pockets before he was allowed any further through the building. He was led into a room full of tables and chairs that was guarded by more police officers where he was told to wait. Nervously he played with his fingers and glanced around at the unappealing scenery. He hadn't seen or talked to his mother in years and he had no idea how he'd react when she walked into the room.

Five minutes later and two guards walked in with his mother nestled between them. So she didn't escaped, he thought. His whole body tensed as he saw her and he wasn't sure what to do.

"Peter," Frances whispered as she looked at her son who she had not seen in over a decade. He watched as the guards sat her down in a chair and he slowly took a few steps closer.

"Oh, how you've grown." She cupped her handcuffed hands out towards his face. "So handsome."

"Mother." He gave a small nod and sat down across from her.

"I can't believe you're here." Frances smiled and lowered her hands. "You're really here after all these years. I've always dreamed of this, my baby boy coming back to me."

"I'm not here for you," he replied, coldly.

Frances frowned in confusion. "What do you mean, Peter?"

"I'm not just going to walk in here after all these years and pretend nothing happened."

"But you came," she tried weakly. "You came here to _me_."

"I'm here to ask you about my father."

"Your father?" Her frown grew. "What about him?"

"I want to find him." Pete looked at his mother.

"Oh." Frances gave a small nod.

"Is there anything you can tell me about him? Anything you know?"

She sighed and looked at her son.

"I need to know." Pete looked back at her.

"I wasn't with him long. We were together about a week I think." Frances gave another long sigh.

"A week?" He sighed as well. "Can you at least remember a name? Address? Anything?"

"Why is this so important to you, Peter?" she asked and leaned forward slightly. "It never bothered you before that you don't know your father, why now?"

"It's different now." Pete avoided her gaze.

"How? How is now any different to then?"

"I need to know where I'm coming from."

"What do you mean?"

Pete sighed and met her gaze. "I need to know he's not a total screw-up. I need to know who he is."

Frances studied her son for a few moments in silence before she sighed once more. "Richard. His name was Richard."

"Richard who?"

"I don't know his last name. All I know is that he used to run a pub called The White Horse."

"Here in LA?" Pete looked at his mother.

"Yes." Frances nodded. "It wasn't far from where we lived."

"Does he know about me?"

"He wasn't around long enough for me to tell."

"If he worked there you could have gone and seen him."

Frances shrugged and titled her head to the side to study her son. "You have his eyes."

Pete averted her gaze once more and looked at the table. "I need to find him."

"Why?" she asked, softly. "You think he'll be able to give you what I didn't?"

"It's too late for that." He still didn't look at her.

"Then what do you want from him, Pete?"

"I want to know who he is, what kind of life he lives. I need to know where I'm coming from so I can be a good father for my own child."

"Your own child?" Her eyes widened.

"In a couple of months I'll be a father." He nodded.

"A father. I'll be a grandmother?" Frances began to smile at her son. "This is wonderful news."

"Yeah." Pete looked at her and gave a small nod. "It is."

"Maybe, maybe I'll be out in time for the birth."

"We both know that's not going to happen."

"I'm their grandmother," she protested.

"You're in jail," he reminded her. "You murdered someone."

"I've changed, Peter. I'm not the same person anymore." She tried to reach out for his hands but he pulled back.

"I won't ever forgive you for what you did." Pete looked at her.

"I've changed."

"I don't believe you."

"Talk to Adam, he'll tell you."

"Do you really think that I'm going to forgive you? Do you think time healed the damage you did? I'm never going to forgive you and nothing can change that, not even Adam."

Frances stared at her son in silence.

Pete sighed before he looked at her once more. "Is there anything else you can tell me about my father?"

"I've told you all I know."

"Good." He nodded and got up. "Then we're done here."

"You're going?" She looked up at him. "When will I see you again?"

"I don't know." Pete shook his head.

"Please, Peter, I have to see you again."

"Why would I come to see you?"

"Because you're my son."

"But you've never been a mother to me."

"Peter, please," Frances begged and stood up but was made to sit back down by a guard. Pete sighed as he watched his mother. "Don't you think your child has a right to know their grandmother?" she asked.

"Why? So you can ruin their life as well?"

"That's not fair," she protested weakly.

"It's not fair what you did to me either. I don't want you anywhere near her or our baby."

"Peter, please," Frances whispered and watched sadly as her son turned and left the prison.

* * *

><p>Once Addison went back to the prison to pick Pete up again they made their way to the pier where they found a nice little cafe to have lunch in. Addison didn't pry, just waited for Pete to start talking. They ordered their food and once the waiter was gone silence settled over them until Pete broke it.<p>

"She said my father's first name was Richard."

"That's good." Addison nodded. "That's a start."

"She doesn't even have a last name though, only knows that he used to own a pub close to where we lived."

"He could still own it or someone there might know where he is," she tried.

"Yeah." He gave a small nod. "If I find it."

"What's it called? We can search it up on the internet."

"The White Horse. They might have changed the name if he sold it."

Addison took her phone out of her bag and quickly connected to the internet before she began to search. Pete watched her in silence and waited for her reaction.

"Here." She handed him the phone a few minutes later. "The White Horse which is owned by Richard Weston. There's even a photo of him."

"Seriously?" Pete frowned and slowly took hold of the phone, unsure of whether he wanted to look at it or not.

"It says that the pub is a family business. They have a good menu," she commented.

"They do?" He looked down at her phone.

"Sorry." She looked at him sheepishly. "The baby makes me hungry more. There's no harm in meeting this guy and finding out if he's your father."

"Yeah, I guess there isn't." Pete nodded slightly. Addison looked at him before she reached across the table and took hold of his hand and squeezed it. He gave her a small smile as he looked back at her and squeezed her hand back.

"Do you want to meet him?" she asked softly.

"Yeah." Pete nodded. "I do. I'm just not sure what to say. I mean he doesn't even know I exist."

"That's okay. You have time to think about what to say." Addison squeezed his hand again. "Do you want to go alone to meet him?"

"I probably should." Pete nodded again.

"Okay." She nodded.

Pete nodded as well and looked at her. "She said she wanted to see me again, and the baby."

"Oh. What did you say?"

"I said no."

Addison nodded and felt relieved. She wasn't sure she wanted his mother anywhere near their baby.

"She said she's changed, but I don't believe her."

"You don't have to see her if you don't want to. This is your choice, not hers."

"I know, it just felt so weird, seeing her like that. But you don't have to worry she won't be anywhere near our baby."

"Okay." She nodded. "So, when do you think you'll go and see him?"

"Maybe tomorrow after work, I just have to figure out what to say."

"I'm here if you need me."

"I know." He gave a soft smile. "Thanks for taking me and picking me up today."

"Anytime." Addison smiled back.

* * *

><p>AN: So, we thought that seeing as Pete is going to become a father himself, he should find out about his own father.


	15. Chapter 15

A few days later, Pete strode into The White Horse and looked around. There were many people in there dining and a few just drinking. He took in his surroundings before he slowly walked further inside and towards the bar.

"Hi, what can I get you?" An older woman smiled pleasantly at him.

"Hi." He smiled back politely. "I'm actually looking for the owner of this place. Is he here by any chance?"

The woman's smile faltered slightly as she took Pete in. "May I ask what it is about?"

"It's personal, actually."

"What's your name?"

"Wilder. Pete Wilder."

She nodded and motioned to a table near the bar. "Take a seat and I'll get him."

"Thank you." He nodded and made his way over to the table.

"I hear you're looking for me?" An older guy approached the table and looked down at Pete.

"I, yeah, I am." Pete stood up to shake the man's hand. "My name is Pete Wilder."

"Richard Weston. What can I do for you?"

"I, erm, I wanted to talk to you about a Frances Wilder. Do you remember her by any chance?"

Richard frowned as he took a few minutes to think about it. "Yes, I do remember her. Why?"

"I'm her son," Pete explained as he looked at the other man.

Richard frowned even more. "Okay, I'm not quite following you here."

Pete gave a small sigh and it took him a few moments to find his words. "I think I'm your son."

The colour in Richard's face vanished and he reached out to take hold of the back of a chair. "Excuse me?" he gasped.

"I asked her about my father and all she could tell me was your first name and the name of this pub."

"I need to sit down." Richard eased himself down into a chair. "You're sure?"

"It's what she told me." Pete sat down across from him.

"I just…I don't understand."

"Have you ever talked to her again?"

"No." Richard shook his head. "Not since the day I found her with another guy."

"Oh." Pete gave a small nod and looked down at the table. "That sounds like her."

"I just…I never imagined this." He gestured to the space between them. "This is a lot to take in."

"I know." He nodded. "I know that. I'd given up on the chance of her looking for you."

"You're sure that I'm your father?" Richard looked at Pete.

"I asked my mother and she gave me your name."

"That doesn't mean that I am for sure."

"I know." Pete nodded.

"I have a family now. I don't want to upset them if I'm not. You have to understand here."

"I know and I do." He nodded. "I didn't mean to just drop this on you and I don't expect anything either. I just needed to know."

Richard nodded slowly and took Pete in. "Can we find this out for sure?"

"Yes, of course." Pete nodded again.

"Okay, good. When?"

"Well, I work at a private practice not far from here. You could stop by when you find time?"

"Tomorrow?" Richard asked.

"Yeah, tomorrow is fine." Pete nodded.

"And when will we get the results back?"

"A couple of days maybe."

"And if the results are positive?"

"I, erm, I don't know," he admitted and shook his head. "I don't want to bother you or your family. I just wanted to know who you are."

Richard nodded. "I guess we'll cross that bridge when we get to it then."

* * *

><p>"So," Richard began, "it's a match." They were sat on the couch in Pete's office a few days later with the test results in front of them.<p>

"It is." Pete nodded as he looked down at the results in his hands.

"So, erm." Richard cleared his throat unsure of what to say.

Pete could see the unease in the man's face and he gave a small shrug. "I don't expect anything now. I just wanted to know where I'm coming from."

"You're my son, Pete."

"A son you didn't know existed for the past forty years."

"That doesn't change the fact that you're my son."

Pete gave a small nod and wasn't sure what to do. "Maybe we could go out for a coffee at some point?"

"That sounds good," Richard agreed. "We could go today?"

"Yeah, sure." Pete nodded.

"We could go now?"

"Sure, I just finished my last patient for the day."

"Okay, that's good." Richard smiled.

"I'm just going to get my things. I'll meet you in the lobby?"

* * *

><p>Fifteen minutes later the two of them sat in a café together with a cup of coffee each.<p>

"So, you're married?" Pete began to speak after a while.

"I am." Richard nodded. "Thirty years. We have a daughter, Lindsey."

"That's a long time. How old is she?"

"Twenty-five." Richard smiled softly. "We'd given up trying when she came along."

"That must have been amazing, for you to finally get her."

"It was. I can't describe how happy we were when we finally had her in our arms. It just didn't seem real."

Pete nodded and smiled softly at his words.

"Do you have any children?" Richard asked. "Are you married?"

"I will, in a couple of months actually." Pete smiled. "Not married, though."

"Really?" Richard's face lit up. "When's her due date?"

"January 21st." He smiled proudly.

"Wow. Not long then. You must both be so excited."

"I really am. We've been trying for a while."

Richard nodded. He knew the feeling. "How long have you been together?"

"We're not, actually. We've been friends for years and we both wanted a baby so we decided to have one together," Pete explained.

"Oh." Richard was surprised. "Well, that's different I suppose."

"Yeah." He gave a small nod. "It is."

"Well, so long as you're both happy."

"She's really amazing." Pete nodded.

Richard smiled and nodded as well. "Tell me about your life, Pete."

"Well," he thought about it and was unsure about where to start. "I left home when I finished high school and moved in with a friend. I went to med school here in LA and spent some time working for doctors without borders after that."

Richard nodded as he took it all in. "Have you had a good life? Have you ever wanted for anything?"

"I think I have, so far." Pete nodded. "The only thing missing is a family."

"I'm sorry, Pete."

"Oh, it's alright, it's not your fault." He shrugged.

"If I'd have known I would have been in your life."

"I know that it wasn't your fault. It was my mother's."

"How is your mother?" Richard asked.

"Oh, we don't have the best relationship."

"Ah." Richard nodded in understanding. "You know, Clara and Lindsey will be excited to meet you. Lindsey has always wanted a big brother."

"They will?" Pete looked slightly surprised.

"Yes." Richard nodded. "I'm sure."

"I'd really like to meet them, too."

"Why don't you come over for dinner? You could bring your friend too."

"I'll have to talk to her about it." Pete nodded.

"Okay. Give me a call and let me know when you're free."

"I will." He smiled softly.

"Good." Richard smiled happily. "So,"

* * *

><p>Later that day Pete walked next to Addison on the beach after he had met her at her place and they had decided to get some ice cream. She looked up at him before she slid her arm through his and lightly rested her head against his shoulder.<p>

He smiled softly and placed a light kiss on her hair. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm okay. How are you? You look tired."

"Didn't get much sleep last night and had a few early appointments this morning."

"Why couldn't you sleep?" she asked and looked up at him.

"I don't know." Pete shrugged. "Just thought about too many things."

"Anything in particular?"

"Our baby, my father, a patient."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"It was just one of those nights." He shrugged again. "It's fine, really."

"Okay." Addison nodded and kissed the edge of his shoulder. Pete gave a smile and placed a hand on the small of her back as they entered the ice cream parlour. They each got some ice cream and a milkshake to share before they sat down at a table.

"You've got your next appointment with Naomi next week, haven't you?" Pete watched her as he ate a spoonful of his ice cream.

"Yes." She nodded. "You're coming, right?" she asked as she finished off her wafer in her ice cream.

"Of course, I wouldn't miss it."

"Good." Addison smiled happily. "So, how did it go with your father this morning?"

"It went pretty well." Pete gave a small nod. "He's married and he has a daughter."

"So you've got a sister. Are you going to meet him again?"

"He wants me to come over for dinner."

"Are you going to?"

"I think so."

Addison nodded and slowly took a mouthful of ice cream as she watched him.

"He said I could take you but I think we should wait a little until you meet them."

"Oh, okay." She nodded again.

"I've only just met him myself, I think it's better that way."

"It's your choice, Pete. Are you okay with going for dinner with them?"

"Yeah." He nodded again. Addison watched him as they slowly ate their ice creams. "He asked me. Apparently his wife and daughter want to meet me too.

"That's good, isn't it?"

"I hope so."

She nodded. "I'm sure it is."

"It's just weird." Pete shrugged. "I mean they're a family."

"They're _your_ family." She reached across the table to take hold of his hand. "Just because they're already a family doesn't mean that you can't be part of it."

"I don't know if I ever will, not after all those years."

"You don't know that." She softly squeezed his hand. "You could be part of it."

"I wasn't even looking for a family. I didn't expect him to be who he is. I thought he was just like all the other guys my mother brought home."

"Would you rather he was like that?"

"No, I don't. I'm relieved he isn't."

She smiled softly. "You could have a relationship with him."

"Yeah." Pete nodded and absently played with her fingers that were holding his hand. "Maybe."

"Would you want one?"

"I guess it would be nice, to get to know him better. He seemed excited when I told him about the baby as well."

"He did? That's good. You know, it would be nice if our baby had grandparents."

"Yeah," he agreed. "It would be."

"There's no harm in getting to know him." Addison shrugged.

"Yeah, there isn't. I guess dinner is a start."

"It is," she agreed. "A very good start." Pete nodded and they both slowly pulled their hand back as they continued to eat their ice cream.

* * *

><p>AN: So, Pete has finally found his father! I realise this chapter was a bit quick but we wanted to get to the good part of them getting to know each other!


	16. Chapter 16

A/N: Yeah, yeah. So I suck, BIG time. Blame life, it got in the way, again. So, as an apology I am giving you two chapters. Yes, two chapters.

* * *

><p>A couple of days later, Pete made his way straight from the hospital to his father's house where he was invited to have dinner with him and his family. He stood on the doorstep nervously and looked up at the house. He could hear soft noises from inside and the downstairs was lit up. He was holding a bottle of wine in his hand and looked up when he heard the door open slowly.<p>

"Pete," Richard smiled warmly, "come in." He stepped back so Pete could enter.

"I felt like I should bring something." Pete handed him the bag with the bottle as he walked inside.

"There was no need to." Richard smiled and accepted the bottle. "Dinner is nearly ready." Pete nodded and slipped out of his shoes as he followed Richard further inside.

"Clara, this is Pete. Pete, this is my wife, Clara," Richard introduced the two.

"It's nice to meet you." Pete gave a smile as he shook her hand.

"You look a lot like Richard." She smiled softly as she studied the younger man.

"I do?" He glanced Richard before back at Clara. "I didn't realize."

"You do." Clara nodded. "I can see it now you're stood next to each other." Pete nodded as well and gave Clara a soft smile. "Sit down, would you like a drink?"

"Yes please, whatever you have." He did as he was told and sat down.

The sound of the door opening before someone entering was heard. "Hey! Sorry, I'm late. I got stuck in traffic. Those damn road works!" A younger woman appeared in the doorway and smiled at them all.

"Oh you're just in time, honey, dinner is nearly finished." Clara smiled at her daughter.

"Great, I'm starving." Lindsey plonked herself down in a chair at the kitchen table and turned to look at Pete. "You must be Pete. I'm Lindsey."

"I am." He gave a nod. "Nice to meet you."

Lindsey titled her head to the side and studied him. "You've got the same eyes," she observed.

"The face structure too," Clara added as she began to dish up the food.

Lindsey nodded and sat up straighter in her chair as food was served. "It's kind of creepy."

Clara smiled softly as she carried the plates to the table. "He is your half brother, Linds."

"I know." She gave a smile before she looked down at the food. "Looks delicious, mum."

"It always tastes delicious too," Richard commented and kissed his wife on the cheek before he too sat down. Clara smiled softly and sat down as well before all four of them began to eat.

"Richard mentioned you're going to be a dad soon," Clara commented after a while. "Will it be your first child?" she asked.

"Yeah, I'm really excited."

"I'm sure you are." Clara smiled softly. "You both must be so happy. A child really completes a family I feel."

"I've always wanted to be a dad." Pete smiled as he ate.

"Why haven't you had a child before?" Lindsey asked and looked at him.

"The woman I married when I was young didn't want children," he explained.

Lindsey frowned. "Then why did you marry her?"

"I was young." Pete gave a small shrug. "We hadn't thought about those things, unfortunately." Lindsey gave him a look he couldn't read before she shrugged and continued to eat.

"The food is amazing," Pete commented after a while.

"Thank you." Clara smiled at him. "Cooking and baking has always been a hobby of mine. I like to experiment."

"I love to cook as well."

"You do? Maybe we should share recipes sometimes. Maybe you have some I don't."

"Sure." Pete smiled. "Sounds good."

"Great." Clara grinned.

Richard smiled softly as he watched them and the four of them finished eating before moving into the living room while Clara finished the desert in the kitchen.

"Would you like another drink, Pete?" Richard asked.

"No, I'm fine, thanks." He gave a smile as he looked around. "You have a really beautiful house."

"Thank you. It's all down to Clara really. She decorated it."

"Well she did a great job."

"She really did, didn't she?" Richard smiled softly. Pete smiled as well and looked around as he sipped on his drink.

"Desert." Clara smiled as she carried the desert into the living room. They all sat down on the couch and took hold of their plates.

Later that night Pete and Lindsey where sat next to each other in the living room while Clara and Richard cleaned up the kitchen together. Lindsey had gotten a few photo albums from her old room to show him pictures of their father and her childhood.

"That was when we went on holiday to Greece. I was six at the time," Lindsey began to give him brief details about the holiday.

"That sounds amazing." Pete smiled softly as he looked at the pictures. Pete couldn't remember being on a holiday until he was in his early twenties.

"It was," she agreed. "We had a really good time."

"I can tell." He nodded. "Where was that?" He pointed at a different picture.

"Erm." Lindsey frowned as she tried to think. "I think that was in Paris."

"Wow, you really got around."

She shrugged. "We saved."

"Yeah." Pete nodded and looked at the pictures as she turned the page.

"We're not rich if that's what you're thinking." She turned her head and looked at him.

"That's not what I'm thinking." He shook his head. "I just never used to travel much when I was a kid."

"Oh." She nodded and a slight colour passed over her cheeks. "Sorry. Why not?"

"We didn't have the money." Pete shrugged. "And my mother was never around much."

"Oh, sorry," she murmured and turned her gaze back to the photos.

"It's alright." He shrugged again and they continued to look through the album.

"That's dad there." She pointed at a photo.

"He looks so young there." Pete smiled softly.

"I think it was before I was born."

"Looks like it." He nodded. "Have you always lived here?"

"Yes. Mum and dad moved here when they found out mum was pregnant."

"LA is a nice place to grow up."

"It is," she agreed and turned the page. There were more pictures of the three of them at different occasions and holidays.

"Mum could go on forever with photos," Lindsey commented as she shut the album. "We're not that interesting really." She turned her head to look at Pete.

"I liked them." He smiled. "I'm sure it's nice looking at them from time to time."

"Not when you've seen them about a hundred times."

"Yeah, probably," Pete chuckled softly. "So, what is it you do? Are you still in uni?"

"I'm a beautician." She grinned.

"You are? That's interesting."

"What?" Lindsey frowned. "Is it not impressive enough?" Her voice took on a defensive tone and she straightened up.

"No, it is. You should do what you enjoy doing."

Lindsey mumbled something and stood up from the couch. Pete stayed where he was and watched her in silence. She put the album on the shelf and kept her back to him.

"Where do you live?" Pete asked after a while.

"A ten minute drive from here. You?"

"About twenty minutes into the centre, near the hospital."

Lindsey nodded and looked at the photographs on the mantle piece. After a while Pete got up as well and walked over to her.

"Why are you here?" She turned to face him with her arms crossed over her chest.

"Here? Tonight?" He frowned as he looked back at her. "Your dad invited me."

"Why did you get in touch? You've had your whole life to do that so why now?"

"I had no idea where to find him. I hadn't talked to my mother in over a decade. But now that I'm going to have my own child, I wanted to find out."

"What do you want from us?" she demanded.

Pete frowned even more and was starting to get annoyed. "I don't want anything from you. I don't need anything from you. I've lived my whole life without a father. All I wanted was to find out who he is."

Lindsey looked at him, really looked at him. "Nothing at all?"

"I thought it would be nice to have some kind of relationship, but if any of you don't want that then I'm not going to bother you anymore."

"I didn't even know you existed. Dad just announced it one day."

"I didn't know you existed either. I didn't even expect your dad to want to take a test, let alone invite me over for dinner."

Lindsey looked at him in silence before she dropped her arms and sighed.

"I never had a family, and I'm not looking for one now. If you don't want anything to do with me I get it." Pete gave a small shrug.

"I always wanted to have a sibling growing up. I used to get lonely," she explained.

"Do you still want one now?"

"I'm not a little kid anymore." She looked at him. "It's not the same."

Pete gave a small nod and turned his head to look at the mantle piece." Yeah, I guess it's not."

"It'll never be the same. There are too many years lost."

"I can still be a brother to you." Pete shrugged. "I grew up with my brother and now I barely see him anymore. It's not about the past, it's about now. If you want me to be there for you now I will be."

Lindsey looked at him in thoughtful silence. "How?" she whispered.

"We can do stuff together, get to know each other," he suggested.

"You've got a baby on the way. You've hardly got time for a sister."

"I will make time." Pete looked at her. "If you want me to."

"How? How can you make time? You've got your wife to take care of, you've got to plan for this baby, work. There's no time for me." She shook her head with a hint of sadness.

"She's not my wife," he corrected her. "And I do have to take care of her and plan and work but not all the time. I'm free for lunch for the rest of the week for example. How about you stop by the practice and we grab something to eat?"

"Oh, I just thought that…" She shrugged.

"It's a little complicated," he explained.

Lindsey sighed and glanced at a photo on the mantle piece. "I'm free Thursday."

"Thursday sounds good." Pete nodded.

"Twelve?"

Pete nodded again. "Meet me at the practice?"

"Sure."

"Good."

"Why aren't you with the woman then?" she asked and looked at him.

"We're just friends." He gave a small shrug.

"So, the pregnancy wasn't planned?"

"No, it was. She told me how much she wants a baby and I do too, so we decided to have one together."

"Then why aren't you together?"

"Because we're just friends," Pete tried to explain. "We have been for a couple years."

"But you clearly like her enough to have a baby with her." Lindsey looked at him. "You must feel something for her."

"It's a little complicated."

"How?"

"I don't know," he sighed. "We've decided to have this baby as friends and that's all we are. Everything else would just make things more complicated right now."

"It might not," she pointed out. "People don't agree to have a baby with someone without having feelings there."

"Some might, if they're desperate enough to have one."

"Are you?" she asked and crossed her arms again.

"I really want this baby, but I wouldn't have a baby with just anyone," he admitted.

"That's my point." She nodded. "You clearly like her."

"I do, we're close." Pete nodded as well. "But things are working out they way they are right now."

"I mean you _like_ her."

He looked at his half sister and gave a small smile. "You don't let things go easily, do you?"

"Nope." Lindsey grinned. "So, you do. What are you so afraid of?"

"I'm not afraid." Pete looked at her and gave a small shrug. "I just, I'm not sure what I want. Maybe things are just meant to be the way they are right now." She raised an eyebrow and slightly tilted her head to the side. "Are you going to let it go now?" He smiled softly.

"No, because I know that you know what you want you're just afraid to admit you want it and ask for it."

"We're having a baby there are other things to think about."

"Like?" she asked and sat back down on the couch.

"Like, maybe she sees things differently or maybe it doesn't work."

"Right," she scoffed. "You're afraid."

Pete gave a small sigh and looked around the living room. "Maybe."

"What is there to loose?"

"Her," he said as his eyes wandered around before back to his sister. "If she doesn't feel the same way I could lose her."

"She's having your baby. The two of you are bound to be in each other's live forever."

"I don't want things to be awkward between us."

Lindsey rolled her eyes and murmured, "Coward."

"It's complicated." Pete sat back down as well. "Do you have a boyfriend?"

"It's only complicated if you make it complicated. No, I don't."

"You don't understand."

"I do." She nodded.

"Why don't you have a boyfriend?"

"Why don't you have a girlfriend?" she asked.

Pete rolled his eyes at her. "You really are stubborn."

"Yep." She nodded. "Drink?"

"Sounds good."


	17. Chapter 17

That Thursday, Addison made her way down the hallway of the practice to the empty reception bar one person. A young woman was stood in the lobby and kept checking her watch as she looked around her.

"Can I help you?" Addison asked as she placed the file behind reception.

"I'm waiting for Pete." The woman looked at Addison. "We're supposed to have lunch together."

"Oh." Addison was shocked. Pete had promised to have lunch with her.

"Yeah." She nodded and watched the woman closely.

"I'll, erm, go tell him you're here then." Addison nodded.

"Thank you."

Addison turned and began to make her way towards Pete's office. Who was that woman? She could feel the anger inside of her as she reached the door and pushed it open.

"There's a woman here to meet you for lunch." Addison crossed her arms and looked at him.

"Oh right." Pete got up from his chair as he checked his watch. "I didn't realize how late it was."

"Yeah. Enjoy your lunch date," she commented sarcastically and turned to leave.

"Wait." He watched her and stopped gathering his things. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong, Pete."

"Then why does it feel like there is?"

Addison gave him a look before she turned and made her way to her own office. Pete sighed and gathered his stuff before he walked out of his office and followed her. Angrily, Addison began to tidy her desk up before she grabbed her handbag.

"What is it?" He stood in the doorway and looked at her. "Is it because I'm having lunch with Lindsey?"

"Is it because you're having lunch with her?" Addison sarcastically pretended to ponder over the thought.

Pete gave a frustrated sigh. "I told you I'd see her again this week."

"Forget it, Pete." Addison turned and pushed past him out of her office.

"Just tell me what's wrong," he called after her before he sighed and shook his head, making his way towards the reception.

"Hey." Lindsey smiled at him.

"Hey." Pete smiled back at his sister. "Sorry you had to wait."

"It's fine." She shrugged. "Are you ready to go? I thought we could grab a Chinese."

"Sure, Chinese sounds good." He nodded.

"Great."

"Let's go then." Pete gave a smile. The two of them made their way over to the elevator and waited for it. As they did Pete could hear the familiar clicking of heels behind them and he turned to see Addison entering the lobby.

"Where are you going?"

"I'm looking for Nae," Addison replied shortly.

"We're having Chinese, do you want to join us?"

"No."

"Why not?"

Addison glanced at Lindsey and then back at Pete. "I'm not discussing it here."

Pete sighed and looked at his sister apologetically. "I'll be right back, okay?" Lindsey nodded and watched as he made his way towards Addison. "What's wrong?" he asked as he looked down at her.

"What do you care?" she mumbled.

"Can you just tell me what I did?"

Addison spun around to face him with an expression full of fury. "I never realised that when you got in touch with your father that I would be pushed completely aside."

"What? You are not." Pete looked at her. "I'm just having lunch with her. I told you that."

"You were supposed to be having lunch with _me_," she reminded him.

"I was? Today?" He frowned slightly. "Well, I offered for you to join us."

"I'm not going to sit there and be a third wheel."

"You are not a third wheel. I wanted you to meet her anyway."

"No." Addison shook her head. "I'm not going to be a second thought."

Pete sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "Look, I'm sorry I forgot about lunch, that doesn't mean I don't want you to come."

"Just go and have lunch with your sister."

"Come on." He held his hand out. "I want you to meet properly and you need to eat."

Addison turned her head and looked at him. "I'm having lunch with Nae."

"Naomi still has patients."

"It's fine. I can wait." She crossed her arms over her chest.

Pete sighed and dropped his hand. "Alright then."

"Enjoy your lunch with your sister."

"Yeah." He didn't look at her as he turned around and made his way back to Lindsey and the two of them disappeared in the elevator.

* * *

><p>Fifteen minutes later, Pete and Lindsey sat at a table in a Chinese restaurant and had already ordered something to eat.<p>

"I've never been to this place before," he commented as he looked around.

"Really?" Lindsey looked at him in surprised. "It's quite close to the practice so I thought you would have found it."

"I usually go to a different one."

"Ah." Lindsey nodded. "So, been busy today then?"

"Yeah, I had to stop by the hospital earlier and then went to the practice." Pete nodded. "What about you?"

She shrugged. "Not much. That redhead didn't seem too impressed with us," she commented and looked at him.

"That was Addison," he sighed. "I don't know. Maybe it's the hormones."

"Oh, that's _Addison_?" Lindsey sat up a little straighter. "She's…not how I expected her," she admitted.

"How did you expect her?" Pete looked at her.

She shrugged. "Different. What was her problem?"

"Apparently I had made plans to have lunch with her."

"Oh, I didn't mean to tread on her toes. You could have gone for lunch with her."

"No, no." He shook his head. "I asked her to join us. It's fine, really."

Lindsey frowned as she looked at him. "You're upset."

"I'm fine. I just don't get what her problem is."

Lindsey shifted in her seat and leant back in her chair and waited for him to explain further.

"I forgot that I had made plans with her." Pete looked at her. "I mean it's not like I don't want her to come. I wanted her to meet you. I just thought she'd be more supportive of everything."

"Pete, you _forgot_ that you'd made plans with her and made plans with me instead. She's hormonal. Just try and put yourself in her shoes. I know if I was her I'd be pretty pissed with you now."

"But I asked her to come join us. It's like she doesn't even care that I want you to meet her."

Lindsey couldn't help but smile. "You really don't understand women well, do you? She's angry right now. She doesn't want to spend her lunch with the guy who made plans to meet someone else when he was meeting her and the person he made plans with."

Pete shrugged and gave a sigh. "She could have tried a little harder."

"Has she not supported you?"

"She has, I just wish she hadn't made a scene in front of you."

"Are you embarrassed about that?"

"No, I'm not embarrassed. I just wish the first time you met her would have gone differently, that's all."

"Technically, I haven't met her," Lindsey pointed out. "Well, not as Addison, just as some random person."

"Yeah." Pete nodded.

"So, how are things between you otherwise?" she asked, casually.

"Things are good, I think."

"You think?" Lindsey raised an eyebrow.

"Well she's pissed at me right now, other then that we're fine."

"Still just friends?"

"Yeah." Pete nodded. "Just friends."

"God, are you both so cowardly to do anything about that?"

"I told you it was complicated."

"Like I said, it's only complicated if you make it." She pointed a finger at him. "How do you feel about her?"

"What do you want to hear?" Pete looked at Lindsey. "Why don't we talk about you for a change?"

"I want to know how you feel about her."

"She's having my baby of course I like her...a lot."

"Do you want to be with her?"

"I don't want her to be with someone else," he admitted as he looked at his little sister.

"Ah." Lindsey grinned. "And I take it you don't want to be with anyone else either."

"You're having great fun trying to analyze my feelings for her, aren't you?"

"Yep." She nodded. "Are you two sleeping together?"

Pete rolled his eyes at her. "Not since we found out she's pregnant."

Lindsey raised an eyebrow and leaned closer to him in curiousity. "Really?"

"Yeah." He nodded slightly.

"Hmm, if you say so."

"There was no reason for us to anymore."

"Apart from the fact that you want to," she pointed out.

"We really should talk about something else."

"Why?" Lindsey grinned wickedly. "Waking you up is it?"

"You're unbelievable," Pete chuckled softly.

"Why?" She frowned slightly.

"Because you just won't let it go."

Lindsey shrugged. "That's me. Deal with it."

"We should really talk about you for a change." Pete smiled at her as the waiter served their food and they both began to eat.

"What do you want to know?"

* * *

><p>That night Pete pulled into Addison's driveway on his motorbike and took off his helmet before he made his way up the steps to her front door where he knocked softly. It took a little longer than normal for her to open the front door and when she did the rim of her eyes were red and her face was void of make-up.<p>

"Hey…" Pete couldn't help but frown slightly as he looked at her.

She looked at him before she turned and left the door open for him as she made her way into the living room. He sighed and followed her inside before he closed the door behind him. By the time he walked into the living room, Addison was already curled up on the couch, her gaze on the TV. Pete hesitated before he sat down on the futon and looked between her and the TV.

"Enjoy your lunch?" she asked shortly and didn't look at him.

"It was good." He nodded slightly. "We should go there some time."

"Maybe," she replied and still didn't look at him.

"I'm sorry I forgot about our lunch date." Pete watched her.

"Hmm." Addison gave one, small nod.

"I wouldn't choose lunch with her over lunch with you, I just forgot."

"So you keep telling me."

"I'm sorry."

"So you say."

Pete gave a small sigh and leaned back into the couch as he turned his head towards the TV. A silence settled over them as they absently watched the TV.

After a while he looked back at Addison who was still determined not to look at him. "Can we talk about this?"

"About what?" she asked, her gaze still not on him.

"About why you're still mad at me."

"Who says I'm mad?"

"I can tell."

"Hmm, if you say so." Addison nodded and draped a blanket over her lap.

"Have you been crying?" Pete looked at her.

"What does it matter if I have?"

"I don't want you to have a reason to cry."

"Too late now."

"Is there anything I can do?"

"What do you think, Pete? Is there?"

"I don't know." He shook his head.

"Well then." Addison gave one nod.

"Do you want me to go?"

"It's your choice whether you stay or go."

Pete gave a small nod and watched her in silence. Addison stretched her legs out before she stood from the couch and made her way into the kitchen. He gave s small sigh and stayed where he was.

"Have you eaten?" she called after a few minutes.

"Yeah."

Silence floated in from the kitchen as Addison milled about to make herself some pasta.

"Do you need help?"

"No," she called and returned a few minutes later with a bowl of pasta for herself. Pete had his head turned towards the TV and watched absently.

"Are you staying?" Addison asked after a while.

"I don't know."

"Well, hurry up and decided. I want to go to bed soon. It's been a long day."

"Is there any chance you're going to talk to me before you go to sleep?"

"I am talking to you."

"Not about why you're mad or why you've been crying."

"Why do you think, Pete?" Addison snapped and turned her head to look at him for the first time that night.

"I told you I'm sorry." Pete looked back at her.

"Saying sorry isn't going to make everything better instantly, Pete."

"No, but you can't even look at me properly because I forgot one thing."

"Forget it, Pete. I'm going to bed." She stood up from the couch. "Lock up before you decide to stay or leave."

Pete gave a loud, frustrated sigh and didn't look at her as she left the room. Addison climbed the stairs to her room and fought the newest batch of tears. Pete could hear her close the door behind her and he covered his face with his hands as he sat on the futon. He knew she was mad but he couldn't bring himself to go and leave her alone like this.

Pete gave a heavy sigh and locked up as she had instructed before he climbed the stairs as well. He made his way along the landing and towards the guest room before he hesitated. He turned and made his way into Addison's bedroom where she was already curled up on one side of her bed. He found his way to the other side in the darkness before he began to strip down to his shirt and boxers.

Addison felt the bed shift as he got in behind her but she made no effort to snuggle up to him, no matter how much she wanted to. Pete knew that she was awake but he also knew that she wasn't going to make a move. Instead he shifted closer until his chest came in contact with her back and he slid his arm around her waist to rest on her stomach. Her body relaxed at his touch but she still did not give in and snuggle into him. He closed his eyes as he breathed in the scent of her hair and his fingers softly caressed her stomach.

"Did you lock up?" she asked quietly after a while.

"Mhm." He gave a soft nod.

"Goodnight, Pete."

"Goodnight."


	18. Chapter 18

A/N: I'm not really getting much response anymore so I'm thinking that this will probably be the last story I post. Unless this fantastic idea hits me that everyone loves. Or maybe I'll post another pairing. I'm not sure. Anyway, enjoy.

* * *

><p>Addison gave a tired murmur as she slowly began to stretch her body out the next morning. She could feel the warmth of another body close to her and blinked a few times to find Pete in bed next to her. She let her eyes close as she continued to rest her head on his chest. As she shifted a leg she could feel that it was rested between his and one of his arms was lying across her waist. A yawn escaped her lips and she snuggled further into his embrace as she tried to drift back off to sleep. The even movements of his chest raising and failing helped her body relax once more and she felt herself starting to drift off again.<p>

An hour later, they were both woken by the shrill beeping of her alarm clock. She gave an annoyed groan and flung an arm over the side of the bed to hit the alarm off. Pete mumbled something and lifted a hand to rub his eyes. Addison buried her face into his chest as her body protested to wake up fully.

"What time is it?" he murmured and his arm tightened around her.

"Eight."

"Hmm." Pete gave a soft sigh and kept his eyes closed.

"Do you have to work?" she whispered into his chest.

"No patients until ten."

"Good," she murmured.

"Do you?"

"Later."

"Good." A tired smile appeared on his lips and he snuggled further into the covers. Addison gave a contented sigh and let her body relax into his. A silence settled over them and they enjoyed the feeling of being close but neither drifted fully off to sleep again.

"I need to eat," Addison murmured half an hour later but still made no attempt to move.

"What do you want?" Pete asked quietly.

"Pancakes."

"Hmm, okay." He gave a nod and opened his eyes before he slowly began to sit up.

"With raisins and syrup."

"I know." Pete pulled his arm out from underneath her before he shifted to the edge of the bed and got up. Addison curled up in his absence in the bed and kept her eyes closed.

Twenty minutes later, Addison gave a yawn and stretched her body out before she padded her way down into the kitchen.

"Just in time." Pete placed a plate on the table as she walked in.

"Smells gorgeous." She slid into a chair and began to eat.

"I'm glad." He sat down across from her. Addison smiled happily and reached for her glass of water for a sip. "Does our baby like my pancakes?" Pete asked as he watched her.

"Baby _loves_ your pancakes." She nodded. Pete smiled softly and took a sip of his own glass. "Oh!" Addison dropped her knife and fork and her hands flew to her small bump that had appeared recently.

"What?" His face fell as he looked over at her.

"I think the baby just moved," she whispered and looked up at him with wide eyes.

"Really?" Pete instantly moved to her side and looked at her expectantly.

"Yes, feel." She took hold of his hand and put it on her stomach. He looked down at their joined hands before he felt the movement himself and his eyes shot up to meet hers. Addison grinned. "Our baby," she whispered.

"It's amazing." Pete couldn't believe that what he felt was actually his own child moving.

"We created that moving life in there."

He smiled softly at her words and linked their fingers together.

"Just think in five months time we'll be able to hold that tiny life."

"I can't wait," Pete spoke quietly. "I really can't. It's just so amazing to finally feel them."

"I know." Addison grinned happily. "I never thought I'd get to feel my baby move."

"I'm so glad you did." He smiled and reached his other hand up to touch her cheek before he leaned forward to place a kiss there. She turned her head so that the kiss landed on her lips and she wrapped an arm around his neck. Pete closed his eyes and tenderly kissed her, his fingers softly caressing her cheek.

"Our baby," she whispered.

"Our baby." He smiled softly. "I can't believe it."

"Amazing, isn't it? We're going to be parents." Addison grinned happily.

"It's amazing how much you can love someone who hasn't even been born yet." Pete smiled as he looked down at his hand on her small bump.

"I know. I never realised this is how it feels to be pregnant." She looked down at their hands on her bump.

"You know I'd do anything, right?" He watched her. "For you and this baby."

Addison looked up at his face and cupped his cheek. "I know," she whispered. "I know." Pete gave her a small smile before he turned his head and placed a kiss on her hand. "Thank you so much, Pete," she whispered. "Really."

"You don't have to thank me for anything."

"Oh, but I do." She nodded. "I'll never be able to thank you enough."

"Doing this with you was the best decision of my life."

"Really?" Addison whispered and looked into his eyes.

"Really." Pete nodded. "I'd do it again in a heartbeat." She smiled softly and leaned up to kiss him. He closed his eyes as their lips met and he reached out to place his free hand on her side.

"Thank you," she whispered again.

"You're welcome."

"Do you want a boy or a girl?"

"I don't know. I don't mind either way. A little girl with your hair would be adorable though." Pete smiled softly. "But a boy I could teach all the manly things."

"I want one of each," she admitted. "I've always wanted one of each."

"One of each would be perfect," he agreed.

"It would, but it won't happen." She sighed sadly.

"But we've got this one." Pete softly caressed her bump. "It's our miracle."

"We do," she agreed. "Our miracle."

"Concentrate on that." He brushed some hair behind her ear before he placed another soft kiss on her lips.

"I will." She nodded.

"Shall we get ready for work?"

Addison nodded. "Let me just finish my pancakes and then I'll jump in the shower."

* * *

><p>That night Naomi was over at Addison's place for a girl's night. They had ordered Pizza and rented a few movies but didn't really pay attention to the TV anyway. Addison was partly sprawled out over her couch with a hand resting on her stomach.<p>

"I'm so full, I feel like I'm pregnant." Naomi leaned back into the couch as she looked over at her friend.

"Same." Addison briefly closed her eyes before she opened them again. "Wait, I _am_ pregnant." She grinned.

"You are." Naomi smirked. "And you're starting to show."

"I know." Addison's grin grew. "I actually can't fit into some of my clothes anymore."

"Hmm, feels great, doesn't it?"

"It really does," she agreed. "I still find it hard to believe that I'm finally pregnant."

"I know." Naomi smiled softly. "It's amazing. In about five months time you'll be a mummy."

"Scary isn't it?"

"A little. But you'll be fine with Pete."

"You know, he told me he'd do anything for me and this baby this morning."

"He did?" Naomi looked over at her friend. "Of course he would."

"He did." Addison nodded. "He also said he wouldn't have a baby with anyone else."

Naomi's lips curved into a soft smile at her friends words. "No, he chose to have a baby with _you_."

"We decided together."

"You did, you chose to have one together. He cares a lot about you, you know."

"You think?" Addison turned her head and looked at Naomi.

"Of course he does, Addi. I don't think you have any idea how much."

"We're just friends having a baby together." She shrugged.

"That's all?" Naomi looked at her.

"Yes. What else would we be?"

"You're more than _just_ friends," she stated matter of fact.

Addison frowned at her friend and shifted her position. "What do you mean?"

"What if Pete met another woman? What if he started a relationship with someone else?" Naomi looked back at her.

Addison's body tensed slightly. "Then he met someone else." She shrugged.

"You wouldn't mind one bit?"

"It's not my business is it unless it affects his relationship with the baby?" Addison placed both her hands on her stomach and looked down at them.

"That wasn't my question, though."

"What does it matter if I mind or not?" she asked and refused to meet her friend's gaze.

"It changes everything." Naomi watched her best friend.

"Why does it?"

"Because you care about Pete, not just because he's the father of your baby."

Addison watched her hands as she slowly drew circles on her small bump and didn't say anything.

"I'm just saying." Naomi shrugged. "Just because you two can't see it, doesn't mean everyone else can't."

"See what?" Addison frowned and looked up at her friend. "There's nothing to see."

"Oh really?" She raised an eyebrow. "Remember that one time Pete thought you were flirting with a patient in the practice?"

Addison's frown deepened. "What time?"

"You talked to a patient and Pete thought he was trying to pick you up," Naomi tried to remind her. "Anyway, you should have seen his face. I've never seen Pete jealous before but I swear if I hadn't walked up to him I think he would have knocked the guy out."

Addison looked at her friend before back down at her bump again.

"Anyway." Naomi gave a small shrug. "I'm just saying."

"Yeah." She nodded.

"Are you tired or shall I put in another movie?"

"Another movie is good." Addison nodded. Naomi nodded as well and got up to change DVDs.


	19. Chapter 19

A/N: This chapter is just basically fluff so enjoy :)

* * *

><p>"Pete!" Addison yelled for the fifth time that morning from the bathroom. "Pete! Get up!"<p>

"I am," he called back quietly. "In five minutes."

"Right." Addison walked into the bedroom and placed her hands on her hips. "If you don't get out of bed this instant then I'm going to this scan alone and you won't know the sex of this baby until they're born and I will torment you with that knowledge for the next four months," she threatened.

Pete sighed loudly and gave in, slowly sitting up in bed. "I'm not the one who was craving French fries at two am and you're not the one who went to get them."

"Fine, stay in bed and I'll torment you with the knowledge for the next four months." She turned and made her way back into the bathroom.

"I'd find out anyway," he mumbled before he shifted to the edge of the bed and reached for his clothes.

"I'm not forcing you to come." Addison appeared in the doorway once more. "If you don't want to come, then don't."

"Of course I want to come." Pete rolled his eyes at her as he put on his jeans. "It's just an early appointment."

"Well, that's because I have patients." She looked at him before she made her way over to her closest where she pulled out a pair of cream trousers and a purple flowing top.

"So do I." He pulled his shirt over his head before he walked into the bathroom.

* * *

><p>Nearly an hour later, Addison was lying back on an exam table as Naomi squirted the cold gel onto the round swell of her stomach. Pete was stood next to the table and watched Naomi move the monitor closer before taking hold of the wand. Addison turned her head and bit down on her bottom lip slightly as she waited for the image on the screen to change.<p>

"Let's take a look and see if we have a good angle today." Naomi smiled as she placed the wand on her small bump and turned to the monitor as well.

"I hope we do," Addison whispered and took hold of Pete's hand. He covered her hand with both of his and linked their fingers together as he watched the screen. The whole room seemed to hold its breath as Naomi moved the wand to the right angle.

"Well." Her lips curved into a grin as she found a good picture and she turned her head to look at Addison. "See what we've got there?"

Addison gasped and tears filled her eyes. "A little girl," she whispered. "We're having a girl."

"We are?" Pete titled his head as he looked at the screen and a smile spread across his lips.

"A girl." Addison gazed in awe at the screen.

"We're having a girl," he spoke softly and grinned as he lifted Addison's hand to place a kiss on it.

"It's amazing. We're having a daughter. A little girl."

"I know. Imagine all the ways I can spoil her rotten." Pete smiled as he looked at the screen before his gaze moved to Addison and he brushed some hair behind her ear. "I bet she'll look just like you."

"I hope she has your eyes." She smiled back.

He grinned happily and kept hold of her hand as he looked at the screen in awe. "I can't believe we finally know."

"A little girl," Addison whispered and looked back at the screen as well.

Naomi smiled as she watched them before she wiped the gel off Addison's stomach. "I'm so happy for you guys. I'll get you each a copy of the picture."

"Thanks, Nae." Addison couldn't wipe the grin off her face as she sat up. Pete smiled and helped her off the exam table. She turned her head and continued to grin at him. "We're having a daughter."

"I know." He smiled back at her and took hold of her hands once more. "I can't believe it."

"It's just so amazing. We're going to have a little girl. Oh! I can buy dresses!" Her grin grew.

"You can." Pete grinned. "We can make her room pink and I can build her a doll house."

"And we can take her to dance when she's older."

"Maybe she'd like to play basketball instead."

"I hope not." Addison straightened her top out as they waited for Naomi to get them their photos.

"I have to get to the hospital. Do you want me to come over again tonight?" Pete watched her.

"Sure." She nodded. "I'll make dinner. Bring desert."

"Okay, I'll see you tonight then." He leaned down to kiss her cheek. Addison smiled softly and watched him leave before she turned to face Naomi.

"Here you go." She handed her the pictures.

"Thanks, Nae." Addison looked down at the scan photos of her baby girl.

"He's really excited." Naomi smiled softly as she thought of Pete's reaction to the scan.

"We both are." Addison nodded. "We can't wait to meet her."

"You're going to be great parents."

"You think so?" She smiled happily at her friend.

"You will." Naomi nodded. "I know you will."

"I hope so. I want this baby to have what Pete and I didn't have growing up."

"They will." She smiled softly. "You'll be an amazing mum and Pete will be just as amazing as a dad. I should get to my patient, do you want to have lunch?"

"That sounds good." Addison nodded. "Italian?"

"Perfect." Naomi smiled. "I'll see you then."

* * *

><p>That night after Pete and Addison had finished dinner, they made their way into Addison's living room. She lay back on the couch with her feet on Pete's lap. He instinctively took hold of her feet and began to massage them softly as he leaned his head back.<p>

"Should I stay tonight?"

Addison nodded and closed her eyes as she felt her body relax under his touch.

Pete smiled softly and continued to massage her feet before he looked at her small bump. "Is she kicking?"

"She's always kicking." Addison smiled softly and opened her eyes to look at him.

"Can I?" He motioned to her stomach with one of his hands.

"Of course. You don't have to ask me."

Pete carefully placed his hand on her bump and moved it around until he found the spot their daughter was kicking and his lips curved into a smile.

"She likes you," Addison spoke softly as she watched Pete's face. "She already loves her daddy."

"What makes you think that?" He turned his head to look at her.

"Because she always responds to your voice and touch." She smiled.

"She does?" Pete smiled and looked back at her bump. "Do you think she would listen if I talked to her?"

"Yes." Addison nodded. Pete caressed the spot where their baby was kicking and hesitated slightly before he leaned closer to Addison's stomach. Her lips curved into a smile and she titled her head to the side as she watched Pete.

"Hey baby girl." His voice was soft as he spoke. "It's me, your daddy." The baby gave an extra hard kick and they both felt her shift her position. "Was that you saying hi?" Pete smiled. "You're a very active little girl, aren't you?"

"We won't be able to keep up with her," Addison murmured softly.

"Hmm, yeah." He smiled softly and ran his fingers over the fabric of her shirt. Their daughter gave another kick against Pete's hand which made both him and Addison laugh softly. "I think she agrees." Pete smiled.

"We should start thinking of names soon." Addison looked at Pete. "Do you have any in mind?"

"I haven't really thought about that yet," he admitted.

She nodded. "I want something different."

"Something different." Pete thought about it. "I've always liked Hailey or Chloe. And Haven."

Addison pondered over the names for a while. "What about Skyler? Or Deanna? Or Brooklyn?"

"Hmm, I think I like Deanna."

"We should start a list," Addison mused.

"A list sounds good." Pete nodded. "We could also get one of those books."

"We should," she agreed. "What about Caitlyn, or Sienna, or Tara or Montana?"

"I like them. I also like Scarlet and Alba."

"Me too. There are so many to choose from." She sighed.

"There are, but we still got a couple of months to decide."

"They'll go by so fast." Addison looked at Pete. "We'll be parents before we know it."

"We'll be prepared." He looked back at her. "Don't worry."

"I don't feel prepared," she admitted quietly.

"There wasn't much to be done so far. But now that we know it's a girl we can start buying stuff, we can do her room and we'll find a name."

"I was thinking the room next to mine would be the nursery. What do you think?"

Sure." Pete nodded. "That makes sense."

"Although," she smiled sheepishly, "she won't be sleeping in there for a while."

"Yeah." He gave a small smile.

"I don't think I'd be able to sleep at first with her being so small and in a different room to me at night."

"Yeah, I guess it would be nice to have her with you."

Addison nodded as she looked at him.

"I'll turn my guest room into a room for her as well."

"We should start buying two of everything," she mused. "Two cribs, two car seats, two buggies, two changing tables, two everything."

"Yeah." Pete nodded. "Probably."

"Probably? We'll need a car seat for each car. We'll each need a buggy. Perhaps we should get a pram too so she can lie out. She'll need a crib in both houses, plus a changing table. Oh, and all her clothes."

"We'll just go shopping and order two of each."

She nodded in thought. "Should we decorate the nursery in a theme?"

"We could." Pete nodded. "Like fairytales or something."

"I like that idea." Addison smiled softly. "We could start shopping this weekend?" she suggested.

"Sure, sounds good."

"Great." She grinned. Pete smiled softly and placed a kiss on her stomach before he went back to massaging her feet.


	20. Chapter 20

A/N: I totally forgot that I was in the middle of posting this chapter. I think I may have said before but this is my final Private Practice story that I will be posting. I'm going to upload four chapters here for you due to the long wait you've had and because I will probabaly forget about this story again.

* * *

><p>A couple of days later Pete was sat in the kitchen of his father's house as he had dinner with him, Clara and Lindsey.<p>

"So, how's everything, Pete?" Clara smiled at him.

"Good." Pete smiled back. "We found out the sex of the baby on Monday."

"You did? What are you having?" Richard looked at his son with excitement in his eyes.

"A girl." He smiled proudly.

"Oh, that's wonderful!" Clara grinned. "A little girl. You'll have a granddaughter, Richard." She turned to her husband.

"That's great." Richard smiled widely.

"Have you thought of any names?" Clara asked with interest. "There are so many names you could consider."

"We're not sure yet, it's really hard. All we know is that we want something different."

"So not a traditional name?" Richard asked before he sipped on his drink.

"I don't think so." Pete shook his head. "Maybe as a middle name." Richard nodded and thought about non traditional names. "Addison is feeling a little unprepared so we're going to start baby shopping this weekend."

"Oh!" Clara's head shoot up. "Don't we still have some of Lindsey's old baby things in the attic? Yes, we do." She nodded. "You should take a look at it, Pete. You might be able to make use of some of it. It's a shame to just leave it there to gather dust."

"Are you sure?" Pete was a little surprised as he looked at the older woman.

"Of course I'm sure." She nodded. "So long as Lindsey has the choice of having it all once you've finished with it. It's better than gathering dust."

"Okay." Pete smiled softly. "I'll take a look later. Thank you."

"Great." Clara smiled happily as they all ate.

"Maybe next time we meet I can bring Addison. I'm sure she'd love to meet you all," Pete suggested.

"We'd love that." Richard smiled softly at his new found son. "We'd really like to meet her. She seems like a big part of your life."

"She is." He smiled softly. "She really is." Richard and Clara shared a smile at the look on Pete's face when Addison was mentioned.

Thy four of them continued to eat dinner before they moved into the living room and Clara got the baby clothes from the attic for Pete to take a look at. Richard was still in the attic digging out the crib and pram with Lindsey.

"Everything looks adorable, Addison will love that." Pete smiled softly as he looked through the stuff.

"You think it's her style?" Clara worried.

"I do." He nodded. "I can always show her and let her choose what she likes, but I'll make sure Lindsey gets everything back." Clara smiled softly and reached for a dress. "Thank you so much." Pete smiled at her.

"You're having a baby so it seems a shame not to let you have them." She shrugged.

"We really appreciate it."

"We'd like to contribute to the baby," Clara told him.

"You would?" Pete looked at her as he held a little pink dress in his hands.

"Yes." She nodded. "This baby is our… Richard's," she corrected herself, "first grandchild."

"That's more than I ever expected," he admitted.

"We want to be your family, Pete."

Pete gave a soft smile. "I want that, too. I want our baby to have grandparents."

"We want to help in any way we can."

"That means a lot.

Clara smiled softly as they began to look through the clothes.

When Richard and Lindsey brought down the pram and crib Richard helped Pete to load them into his car.

"The crib might need a little cleaning up." Richard stood back to look at the crib.

"Oh that's alright." Pete nodded. "It's really beautiful though."

Richard nodded. "We thought it was too beautiful to get rid of so we thought we'd keep it, hope that one day Lindsey would want it, but." He shrugged.

"I'm sure she will one day."

"Maybe." Richard gave a nod before her clapped his hands and smiled at Pete. "Coffee?"

"Coffee sounds good." Pete smiled back and nodded.

"Great, biscuits too?"

"Sure."

Richard nodded and they made their way back inside. All four of them settled down in the living room where they enjoyed the rest of the evening.

"So, next week both you and Addison will come?" Richard asked hopefully as Pete was getting ready to leave.

"If she can make it, yes." Pete nodded.

"Great." Richard smiled. "We can't wait."

"I can't wait for you to meet her either." He smiled softly.

"Why don't we go out for dinner next week?" Clara suggested.

"Sure." Pete nodded. "That sounds good. Gives you a break from cooking as well." He smiled.

"Great. Call us."

"I will." He nodded as he walked towards his car. "And thank you again." They waved Pete off as he pulled off of their driveway and made his way towards Addison's.

He pulled up in her driveway about half an hour later and got out of the car before getting the box of clothes from the back and walking up the steps to her front door. Pete saw the light flicker on in her hallway before she opened the front door sleepily.

"Hey." She smiled and opened the door wider for him.

"Hey." He looked at her as he walked inside. "Have you been sleeping?"

"Yeah. I thought I'd get an early night. What's in the box?" she asked as she followed him into her living room.

"I didn't mean to wake you." Pete frowned slightly as he put the box down on the coffee table.

"It's fine." She lowered herself onto her couch and curled her legs underneath her body.

"There are some things my father and Clara gave me," he explained as he sat down as well. "I thought you'd like to take a look at them."

"Things?" She looked at him confused. "What things?"

"For the baby." Pete pulled the box closer and opened it for her to see.

"Oh." Addison nodded and leaned forward to look inside the box.

"It's fine if you don't like it. I just thought I'd show you. There's a crib and a pram in my car as well."

She picked up a dress from the top and let it slide over her fingers as she took in all the details.

"They used to be Lindsey's." Pete watched her as she looked at the dress.

"And they want us to have them?" she asked quietly.

"Yeah." He nodded. "I wasn't sure about taking them but they insisted."

"It's beautiful and in such good condition." Addison put the dress down and picked up a baby grow.

"I know, there are some really cute things. You should see the crib, it's beautiful."

"Have you got it with you?" She looked up at him.

"I do." Pete nodded. "It's in the car. Want me to get it?"

"Please. I'd like to see it."

He got up from the couch and walked out to his car before he returned five minutes later, carrying the crib into the living room. Addison stood up from the couch and walked over to the crib and lightly ran her fingers over the white wood.

"If you want to get her a new one, we can." Pete said as he watched her. "But I think it would look great in her room."

"They really want us to have this?" she whispered and looked up at him with tears in her eyes.

"They do." Pete nodded and frowned slightly. "Is something wrong?"

"It's just…they want us to have this," she whispered.

Pete smiled softly as he looked at her. "Yeah."

"They don't even know me and they want me to have all of their baby things. It's just so touching."

"They want to get to know you, though."

Addison nodded and turned back to the crib. "It's so beautiful," she whispered as a tear rolled down her cheek.

"Hey." Pete smiled softly and wrapped an arm around her. "You're being emotional, aren't you?"

"No," She sniffed and tried not to cry.

"It's okay." He softly rubbed her arm. "I'm glad you like it."

"I love it. It's so perfect."

"It really is," Pete agreed. "Just imagine our baby girl sleeping in there."

"In a baby grow."

Pete smiled softly at the image. "We can decorate the rest of the room so it matches the crib."

Addison nodded. "It will match my room too."

Pete nodded and looked down at the crib. "Do you want to join us for dinner next week?"

"Dinner?" She looked up at him surprised.

"Yeah." He nodded once more. "With my father, Clara and Lindsey."

"They really want to meet me?"

"They do." Pete smiled softly. "They can't wait, actually."

"I'd love to come." Addison smiled back.

"Great." His smile grew. "They'll be happy to hear that."

"Is it wrong I want to put this crib up now?" She leaned into his side.

"It might be a little early." Pete smiled softly.

She sighed. "What do you think about Moses baskets?"

"Is she going to be comfortable in there?"

"Yes." Addison nodded. "Only for the first few months so we don't have to move the crib from my room to the nursery."

"Okay." Pete nodded as well.

"Or would you rather she slept in a crib from the beginning?"

"If a Moses basket is easier and if she feels comfortable in it then I don't mind."

"Really?"

"Do you think it'll be hard for her to switch from basket to the crib?"

"I hadn't thought about that," Addison admitted.

"We can talk to someone when we go shopping," he suggested.

"Okay." She nodded. "We should start decorating the nursery soon."

"We should," Pete agreed. "This weekend when we go shopping?"

"That sounds good." She nodded. "Do you want to stay tonight? It's already late."

"I was just going to let you get back to sleep. You look tired."

"You can stay if you want to. I don't mind." She smiled softly.

"Okay." Pete nodded.

"Can you carry the crib upstairs for me?"

"Of course." He picked it up carefully before walking towards the stairs.

"Thanks." Addison smiled softly before they put the baby things in the spare room and went to bed.


	21. Chapter 21

A week later Pete pulled up in front of the restaurant the five of them were meant to have dinner at. He and Addison got out of the car and made their way towards the entrance. As they walked inside Pete protectively placed a hand on the small of Addison's back and they followed a waiter to the table where the others were already waiting.

"Pete." Richard smiled and stood up to greet his son. Pete smiled back and gave his father a hug before greeting Clara and Lindsey. Addison was introduced to everyone and shook their hands.

"It's so great to finally meet you." Richard smiled at her. "We've heard so much about you."

"I've heard about you as well." Addison nodded once they were all sat.

"Not as much as we've heard about you, I bet." Lindsey grinned and shot her brother a look. Addison blushed and glanced up at Pete. He rolled his eyes at Lindsey and reached for the menu, handing one to Addison.

"Thank you very much for the crib and clothes." Addison looked at Clara and Richard. "It's all really beautiful."

"Oh we're happy to have someone to give it to." Clara smiled. "So, you liked it?"

"I loved it. It's in really good condition as well."

"I took good care of it over the years. I'm glad you like it."

Addison smiled softly and looked down at her menu. They all decided on something to eat before the waiter came to take their order.

"So," Richard started once they had ordered, "how is everything going?"

"Good." Pete nodded. "Really good. We've been shopping this past weekend and we've started decorating the nursery."

"Oh, really?" Clara smiled. "What colour are you painting it?"

"A really light shade of pink. It matches the pink of the crib."

"That's wonderful. It sounds just perfect."

"You should come see it once it's finished." He smiled softly.

"Really?" Clara looked at them hopefully. "That would be wonderful. We're here if you need help as well."

"Thank you." Pete smiled.

"Your father is no good with choosing how to decorate but he's great if he's told what to do." Clara smiled and looked at her husband.

"I have to admit, she's right." Richard smiled as well.

"I always am."

Pete smiled as he watched the two of them before he turned to smile at Addison. She smiled back and took a sip of her water.

"How far along are you now?" Lindsey looked at Addison.

"Six months." Addison instantly placed a hand on the top of her bump where the baby gave a soft kick.

"Not much longer then."

"No. Three months. It's scary," she admitted.

"It is," Clara agreed. "But I'm sure you'll be fine, dear."

"I hope so." Addison gently rubbed her stomach.

"You will," Pete reassured her and gave her hand that was led on the table a soft squeeze. She smiled softly at him and linked their fingers together. Pete smiled back at her before he turned back to the others. "We're still trying to agree on a name."

"It's a lot harder then we thought it would be to find a name," Addison admitted. "We want an unusual name."

"It's not an easy decision," Clara agreed. "But you will find the right one. You'll just know it. At least that's how it was with us." Addison nodded and thought about the list of names they had.

"I've started to really like Haven and Olivia but Addi doesn't seem to agree with me." Pete smiled softly.

"Olivia is too common." Addison turned her head and looked at Pete.

"I still like it." He gave a small shrug. She nodded and took another sip of her water. "We still have some time to choose."

"We do," Addison agreed. "If we've agreed by then is a different question."

"We'll just have to compromise."

"We will." She nodded. Pete smiled softly and slowly let go of her hand as the waiter arrived with their food. A comfortable silence settled over the table as they started to eat.

"This is delicious," Pete spoke after a while and held his fork in Addison's direction. "Want to try?"

She swallowed her mouthful of food before she tried some of Pete's. "Hmm, that's gorgeous!"

"I know." He smiled at her.

"Now I wish I'd ordered that."

"Hmm, bet you do." Pete smirked teasingly. Addison shoved him in the side before she ate some more of his food. Pete smiled and stole some from her plate in return. Addison looked at him before she just switched their plates around completely and smiled sweetly at him. He rolled his eyes and shook his head at her slightly but didn't complain.

"Oh, when I was shopping the other day I saw this cutest mobile ever. I had to think of you when I saw it." Clara smiled.

"You did?" Pete looked up at her and smiled. "Where did you see it?"

"Oh, what was that shop called?" Clara mused for a while.

"I thought you said it was that little store at the mall." Lindsey looked at her mother.

"Yes! That's the one." She smiled happily. "I can take you there some time if you like."

"Sure." Pete smiled and glanced at Addison. "We haven't found one yet anyway."

"We could look." Addison nodded. "We need a mobile."

"I'd love to take you. They have gorgeous things there."

"Thank you." She smiled softly. Clara smiled back at them before he continued to eat.

Once they had finished their meals, Lindsey ordered a desert for herself while Pete and Addison shared a desert. Richard and Clara kept watching the two of them and shared smiles.

"Why have we never come here before?" Addison asked Pete. "The food is amazing."

"I don't know, I've never been here before either."

"We should come again," she decided.

"Sounds good to me." He smiled softly.

"Good." She nodded and continued to eat. Pete smiled and watched Addison as he ate. Lindsey grinned and glanced at her parents watching Pete and Addison too. They were sat close as they shared a plate and kept smiling at each other.

"Hmm, that was amazing." Addison wiped her mouth as they finished.

"It really was," Pete agreed before he looked at his sister. "How did you like yours, Lindsey?"

"Clearly not as much as you liked yours." She grinned.

Clara smiled and softly shook her head at her daughter. "How about we all go back to our place for coffee?"

"I'll have to pass on the coffee, sorry." Addison smiled sheepishly.

"I can always make you a cup of tea." She smiled. Addison turned to look at Pete to let him make the decision.

"We could, unless you're too tired?" Pete looked back down at her.

"No, I'm not tired." Addison shook her head.

"Good." He smiled softly and turned to Clara. "Coffee sounds good."

"Great!" Clara grinned. "We have a spare room if it gets too late and you're too tired to drive home." Richard smiled at his wife's excitement before he waved the waiter for the bill and the five of them left the restaurant together.

"Wow," Addison spoke quietly as she looked around the living room of Richard and Clara's house half an hour later.

"It's nice, isn't it?" Pete smiled as he watched her.

"It's lovely." She nodded and turned her attention to the photos. He smiled softly and kept his eyes on her as she looked at everything. "It's so homely," she commented.

"It is," Pete agreed. "And there are so many pictures, so many memories. Hopefully our place will look like this one day," he mused.

"Our place?" Addison turned to look at him.

"Places," he quickly corrected himself. "Our places, I mean." She nodded and turned back to the photos. Pete nodded as well and looked around the room in silence.

"It will," she spoke quietly.

"Hmm?" He turned his head to look at her.

"It will look like this."

Pete looked at her and nodded slowly.

"Drinks!" Clara called happily as she and Lindsey carried two trays into the room and placed it down on the coffee table.

"Thank you." Pete smiled and took hold of a cup. Addison sat down in a chair and took her cup of tea. Pete added some milk and sugar to his coffee before he sat down as well.

"Pete, can you come and help me with something?" Richard asked. "We can leave the girls to get to know each other better."

"Yeah, of course." He glanced at Addison before he got up again and followed his father. They made their way upstairs and into Richard's study. "What do you need?" Pete asked as he walked inside and looked around.

Richard opened a drawer of his desk before he pulled out a small black box. "I want you to have this."

Pete frowned slightly and looked at the box as Richard handed it to him. "What is that?"

"My mother gave it to me. You should have it. I know you'll make good use of it."

His frown deepened and he opened the box before his eyes widened in surprise. "That's an engagement ring."

"Yes." Richard nodded as Pete took in the silver detail of the ring. "It should go to someone who means a lot and is loved deeply."

Pete looked up at his father in confusion. "But...I don't even have anyone to give it to."

"Yes, you do." Richard looked at his son.

"But..." he trailed off again.

"But what? You don't love her? You don't want to be with her?"

"I...it's complicated," he tried.

Richard smiled and shook his head. "It's only complicated because you're both making it complicated. It's obvious to everyone but the two of you."

"I can't take this ring." Pete looked at his father. "I'm sure it's important to you. I can't accept it."

"Yes, you can. Clara already has a ring and Lindsey can't give it to herself, can she? My mother would want that ring to go to someone special and it's clear that she is."

Pete looked down at the ring and gave a small sigh, unsure about what to do.

"You're going to end up doing it eventually." Richard looked at Pete.

"What if she says no?"

Richard smiled knowingly. "She won't. I've seen how she looks at you. She's not going to say no."

"How can you be so sure?" Pete looked back at him.

Richard shrugged. "Just trust me on this." Pete's eyes wandered down to the box before he closed it, still not sure what to do. "Now, shall we get back down to the girls?" Richard asked and opened the door to his study.

Pete followed his father and nodded slowly. "Thank you." He looked at him. Richard smiled at his son before they made their way back to the living room.


	22. Chapter 22

Addison slowly stretched her body out along side Pete's the next morning before she curled up to his side the best she could. He kept his arms around her securely and looked at her in silence. He'd already been awake for at least an hour, just watching her, unable to sleep.

Addison yawned and blinked at him a few times. "Hmm, morning," she whispered.

"Morning beautiful," he replied quietly.

"How long have you been awake?" She rolled onto her back and turned her head to look at him.

"Not long." Pete shrugged.

"Hmm." She let her eyes flutter closed again. He lay and watched her silently, still trying to find the right words. Addison opened one eye and looked at him. "You're watching me."

"Sorry." Pete gave a small smile.

"Is something wrong?" she asked and opened both eyes.

"No, no," he spoke softly and shook his head.

"Really?"

Pete looked at her and hesitated slightly. "Can we talk?"

"Oh, sure." Her body tensed and she gave a small nod as fear overtook her body.

"Just listen, okay?" He took in a breath, unsure about where to even begin. Addison gave another nod and could feel her heart beginning to drop.

"You know what I said last night? About our place looking like that one day?" Pete looked at her. "I meant that. _Our_ place. I want our place to look like that one day. I want to be a proper family with you and our daughter. I don't want to live in a different part of town, I don't want to only get her on weekends and I don't want to watch you raise her with someone else."

Addison stayed quiet as his words began to sink in.

"I want to be able to wake up with you next to me every morning for the rest of my life. And I don't want that just for the sake of our daughter. I want that because of you. Because I love you and I want to be with you and I never want to give this up."

She stared at him wide eyed as she realised exactly what he meant.

"So, I'm just going to ask you now, okay? I've been carrying this thought around with me for way too long and if you feel the same way, then I don't want to waste another second. If you don't though, just tell me, okay? If you don't feel the way I do then we need to be able to just forget everything I said during the last five minutes."

Addison gave a nod but could not find her voice. Pete nodded as well and sat up in bed so he could face her properly. She swallowed and watched his face as he composed himself.

"I love you, Addi. I'm in love with you and I don't want to spend the rest of my life with anyone but you." He looked at her with serious yet loving eyes. "Will you marry me, Addison?" Her eyes widened even more at his words and her mouth formed an o shape. Without even realizing it Pete began to hold his breathe as he waited for her reaction.

"Yes," she whispered. "Yes."

"Yes?" His eyes widened slightly.

"Yes." Addison nodded and her lips curved into a grin. "Yes, I'll marry you."

Pete's mouth dropped open slightly and he reached out to cup her face. "Are you serious?"

"I'm serious, Pete." She nodded. "I love you and I want to be with you forever." He looked deep into her eyes before he closed the gap between them and pressed his lips to hers. Addison closed her eyes and wrapped her arms tightly around his neck. The kiss between them was passionate and gentle at the same time and neither wanted to pull away

"I love you so much, Pete," she whispered against his lips.

"I love you even more," he whispered back softly. "You have no idea." Addison cupped his face and smiled widely at him. Pete smiled back happily before he remembered something and he pulled away. "I almost forgot something."

"You have?"

He nodded and reached over for the nightstand where he had put the box his father had given him the night before. Addison turned over onto her side as she watched him turn back to her. Pete held the black box out to her before he popped it open for her to see. A gasp left her lips as she looked at the ring.

"I know it might not exactly be your style but my father gave it to me. It belonged to his mother," he explained as he looked at her.

"He gave it to you?"

"He did." Pete nodded. "He wants you to have it."

"Really?" she whispered and looked up at Pete.

"Really." He gave her a soft smile. "He said someone special should get it and there is no one more special to me than you and our baby."

"Really?" she whispered again and her eyes began to well up.

"Really," he repeated and smiled softly before he placed a kiss on her lips. "Shall I put it on you?" Addison nodded and tried to hold back her tears but failed. Pete slid the ring on her finger and put the box away before he gently wiped the tears from her cheeks.

"It's beautiful. It really is."

"You like it?" He looked down at her.

"I love it."

Pete smiled happily and placed his hands on her bump. "Did you hear that, princess? Mummy and daddy are getting married." The baby gave a kick against his hands and did what felt a summersault in the womb.

"I think she's happy." He smiled at Addison.

"Me too."

"Are you?"

"I'm really happy." She smiled up at him. "I couldn't want for anything more."

"I can't believe you said yes." Pete looked at her.

"What else was there for me to say?"

"I didn't know how you felt."

Addison reached a hand up and trailed a finger over his cheek. Pete smiled softly and turned his head to place a kiss on it. "When do you want to move in?" she whispered.

"I've been staying here most of the time anyway." He gave a small shrug. "I can slowly start bringing stuff over as soon as there's space for me."

"We'll make space today. Some of your clothes have already found their way into my closet."

"Well, I needed a change of clothes in the morning." Pete smiled and leaned closer to her.

"You do," she agreed.

"We should celebrate," he spoke softly.

"Hmm, do you have any ideas how?"

"I actually have one very specific idea."

"And what's that?" she whispered.

"That would be telling." Pete leaned down to kiss her. "Wait and see." Addison giggled softly and gently kissed him back.

Later that day Addison was sat outside on the patio, wrapped up in a blanket and her phone pressed to her ear. Pete had gone back to his to get some of his things and Addison had decided to call her brother.

_"Ads." _Archer grinned as he picked up. _"What's up?"_

"Hey, Arch. How are you?" Addison couldn't help but grin as well.

_"Good, good. What about you, sis?"_

"Good great even."

_"How come?"_ Archer smiled.

"I'm getting married!" She giggled with excitement and looked down at her ring.

_"You are what?"_ Archer's eyes widened in shock.

"I'm engaged. I'm getting married."

_"To who?"_

"Pete. He proposed this morning."

_"I didn't even know you finally got together."_

"Well, we weren't together until he proposed," she explained and rested a hand on her stomach.

_"So he just asked you to marry him?"_

"He did." She smiled softly. "He gave me his father's mother's ring."

_"God that guy really is crazy about you." _Archer shook his head softly.

"You really think so?" she asked quietly.

_"Think so? Have you ever actually seen the two of you together?"_

"Erm, no."

_"Well, I have and I know he is."_

Addison smiled happily and looked out at the ocean.

_"Are you happy, Ads?"_

"I'm really happy. I couldn't ask for everything else."

Archer smiled softly, happy for his sister._ "You deserve it."_

"Thanks, Arch. I didn't think I'd ever find the guy I'd want to spend the rest of my life with again," she admitted.

_"I'm glad you did."_

"Me too." She drew small circles over her bump. "What do you think Bizzy will say when I tell her?"

_"Oh you know Bizzy."_ Archer gave a small shrug._ "She'll make a few comments and then hopefully get over it."_

"You know," Addison grimaced, "I still haven't told her I'm pregnant."

_"I thought so because she hasn't mentioned anything to me yet."_ He nodded. _"When will you tell them?"_

"I don't know," she admitted. "I guess I should tell them soon."

_"Maybe."_ Archer nodded. _"Just give her a call. She can't make that big of a scene over the phone."_

"Yeah, I guess you're right. Thanks, Arch."

_"Anytime, Ads."_ He smiled softly. _"I might have to visit you again soon, make sure you're being taken care of."_

"Pete is taking very good care of me. You don't have to worry. Both me and baby are doing great."

_"Good."_ Archer nodded. _"Tell Pete he's lucky and he better not screw this up."_

"I will. I'll call you soon, okay?"

_"Okay. Take care."_

"You too. Bye." Addison hung up the phone and stared down at it. She took a deep breath and tried to mentally prepare herself before she dialled another familiar number. She held the phone up to her ear again and waited for it to be answered.

_"Montgomery."_ Bizzy's voice floated down the line after a few rings.

"Hi, Bizzy, it's Addison." Addison curled her legs tighter to her body.

_"Addison."_ Bizzy couldn't hide the surprise in her voice_. "I didn't expect a call from you."_

"Well, I have some news," she began nervously.

_"You do? What kind of news?"_

Addison took a deep breath and closed her eyes. "I'm getting married and… I'm pregnant."

Bizzy was at a loss of words for a couple of seconds but quickly recovered. _"Excuse me? When did that happen?"_

"Pete proposed this morning."

_"Pete? Pete who?"_

"Pete Wilder, my fiancé."

_"Addison,"_ Bizzy sighed_. "Why are you doing this? Getting married again, having a baby. I thought you had done that and you know how well that turned out. You know, some women just aren't meant to lead that life, to be wives and mothers."_

"You're right," Addison agreed. "I had the best example of that, didn't I?"

_"Watch your tone, Addison, I am a good wife. Unlike you, I'm still married after forty years."_

"I wasn't referring to the wife part, Bizzy."

_"I raised you and your brother the way I did for a reason. And who is this Pete anyway? Are you marrying because he knocked you up?"_

Addison took another deep breath to calm herself. "I'm marrying Pete because I love him and I want to be with him."

_"You're forty years old, Addison. Do you really think having a baby and getting married at this age is appropriate?"_

A frustrated sigh escaped her lips and she tried her hardest to stay calm. "Well, it's already happening."

Bizzy sighed and shook her head. _"Well it's nice of you to let your father and I know."_

"Hmm. Well, I have to go now. Have a nice evening, Bizzy."

_"Goodbye, Addison."_

Addison hung up the phone and resisted the urge to scream as she made her way back inside the house. As she did the front door opened and Pete walked inside with a bag in his hands.

"Hey." She gave him a tired smile as he placed the bag down at the bottom of the stairs.

"Hey." Pete smiled back softly and walked closer. "You look exhausted."

"I feel exhausted." She wrapped her arms around his waist and buried her face into his chest. "I called my mother," she mumbled.

"You did?" He looked down at her and slid his arms around her. "Did you tell her about the baby?"

"Yes." She nodded. "She called me a failure and said I'm not a wife, mother type of woman."

"You know that's not true, Addi."

"That's what she thinks."

"Well, you'll prove her wrong." Pete shrugged.

"Yeah." Addison gave a sigh and pulled back from him. "What do you want for dinner?"

"I don't mind. You choose, I cook."

"You need to unpack." She patted his chest. "I'll cook. Lasagne?"

"Lasagne sounds good." Pete gave a smile.

"Go unpack." She leaned up and pecked him on the lips before she made her way into the kitchen to make dinner. Pete watched her before he picked up his bag and made his way upstairs.


	23. Chapter 23

Two days later, Addison padded her way down the stairs and along the hallway to the front door where someone continued to ring the doorbell. "I'm coming!" she called and pulled open the door to reveal her mother stood there. "Bizzy."

"Hello, Addison." Bizzy looked back at her daughter.

"What are you doing here?" Addison asked and stared at her mother in shock.

"I'm here to visit you."

"Why?" she demanded.

"Do I need a reason?" Bizzy looked at her. "I haven't seen you in months."

"Years actually," Addison corrected and crossed her arms over her chest.

"Well, you don't find it necessary to ever come home again, let alone invite me over here."

"I have to work."

"All the time?"

"No, not all the time but I have a life too."

"You are getting married and I haven't even met your fiancée yet."

"We've been engaged for two days, Bizzy."

"So? You've been pregnant for months by the looks of it." She motioned to her bump. Instantly Addison placed a hand protectively over the swell of her stomach before she stepped back to let Bizzy in. "I'll be here for a couple of days," Bizzy announced as she walked in. "I can get myself a hotel room if you prefer."

"A couple of days?" Addison repeated slowly as she followed her mother into the living room.

"Yes." She nodded. "I'm meeting a couple of old friends as well. Plus I thought we could start preparing a thing or two."

"Preparing a think or two?" Addison repeated again and lowered herself onto the couch.

"Yes." Bizzy nodded once more. "For your wedding. Or we could do some baby shopping."

"For my wedding?" Addison stared at her mother. "We haven't even set a date yet. I'm six months pregnant. We're not getting married yet."

"Well, when are you?"

"I don't know. We haven't set a date."

"Hmm." Bizzy nodded slightly and looked around. "Where is he anyway?"

"He's at his house."

"You aren't living together?"

"We are. He's getting the last of his things from there before we decide whether to sale or rent it out."

"Hmm, good." She nodded once more. "So, do you have plans for today?"

"Pete and I were going to do some more in the nursery."

"Can I see it?"

"It's not finished yet." Addison looked at her mother.

"What else do you need for it?"

She shrugged and gently rubbed her bump as the baby did her exercises for the day it seemed. "We've painted it. We're just starting to put the furniture up."

"Well if you need anything else we can go out and get it."

"We're fine." Addison nodded. Bizzy looked at her daughter and gave a small nod. Mother and daughter sat in silence until the front door opened fifteen minutes later. They could hear the sound of boxes being placed down in the hallway before the door closed and Pete walked into the living room.

"Hey." Addison smiled in relief at him before she stood up and made her way towards him.

"Hey." Pete glanced at Bizzy before back at Addison.

She leaned up to tenderly kiss him before she turned back to her mother. "Bizzy, this is Pete. Pete, this is my mother, Bizzy," she introduced them.

"Nice to meet you." Pete gave a smile as he went to shake Bizzy's hand.

"Hmm." Bizzy stood and looked him up and down before she shook his hand.

"I hope I didn't interrupt anything." He looked at Addison.

"No, no." Addison shook her head. "You didn't interrupt anything. Have you got everything now?"

"I have." Pete smiled softly.

"Good." She smiled back. "We can unpack later."

"We can." He nodded and placed a hand on her back. Bizzy raised an eyebrow and watched the couple together. "Erm, have you eaten yet?" Pete looked at Addison's mother. "I could cook."

"No, I haven't eaten yet. What can you cook?" she asked and sat down back in the chair.

"Anything." He gave a small shrug.

"So you're telling me that you can cook everything?"

"Well, I can try."

"Hmm." Bizzy pursed her lips and looked at Pete.

"Do you feel like anything?" He turned his head and looked at Addison.

"How about chicken in a sauce and vegetables?" Addison suggested. "We have an apple and cherry pie for desert as well."

"Sounds good." Pete smiled softly and leaned down to kiss her cheek.

"Would you like a drink, Bizzy?" Addison turned and looked at her mother.

"Tea would be nice."

Addison nodded and followed Pete into the kitchen where she put a hand on his back. "I'm sorry, Pete."

"It's okay." He gave her a small smile.

"I had no idea she was coming. She just turned up today." Addison sighed and reached out to turn the kettle on.

"It's not your fault." Pete gave a shrug and got ingredients for their dinner from cupboards and the fridge.

"She's here for a few days she says."

"At least you'll get to spend some time with her. Maybe it's a good thing."

Addison turned and raised an eyebrow at Pete. "A good thing? Did you just meet my mother?"

"I'm just saying." Pete smiled. "Maybe."

Addison sighed and kissed his cheek. "If you hear a scream, save me." She picked up the tray with tea on it before she walked back into the living room.

"Thank you." Bizzy gave a nod as Addison placed the tea in front of her. Addison nodded back and sat down on the couch again. "So," she began. "When is your due date then?"

"January 21st."

"Not that much longer then. Have you found out the sex yet?"

"Three months." Addison placed a hand on her stomach again. "It's a girl." She smiled softly.

"A girl." Bizzy nodded. "Have you decided on a name?"

"No. we're finding it hard to find one we both like. We don't want a common name so we're looking for something unusual," Addison explained.

"Unusual?" Bizzy nodded slowly.

"Yes, like Deanna or Haven."

She nodded again. "These are beautiful names."

"They're on our list but we haven't found the right one yet." Addison nodded slowly.

"Well, I'm sure you will."

"We will," she agreed and nodded.

"It's quite impressive that he cooks," she commented.

"He taught himself." Addison looked at her mother. "He makes sure I get fed."

"He should, you're eating for two after all."

"I am."

Bizzy nodded and took a sip of her tea. "So, have you thought about wedding dates yet? Would you prefer a summer or a winter wedding?"

"We haven't discussed it yet," Addison admitted.

"Once you do you can start planning properly. It all depends on the weather; the dress, venue, food, everything."

"I know." She nodded. "But I don't ant anything big this time."

"I guess small would be appropriate." Bizzy nodded. "You could have a beach wedding, have the reception here at the house."

"Oh, I hadn't actually thought about that." Addison looked at her mother in shock. That would be the perfect wedding for her and Pete.

"Beach would mean summer wedding," she continued. "You could have it next year that gives you more than enough time to plan everything."

Addison nodded slowly. "Well, we have to think about how old the baby will be."

"She'd be a couple months old." Bizzy nodded. "But it would probably be enough if you start planning after the birth."

"Right now we have to concentrate on the baby. We have to get everything ready and make sure we have everything we need. We're not going to think about the wedding until after she's born."

"That makes sense, I guess," she agreed.

"It does." Addison nodded.

"Have you bought anything except furniture yet?" Bizzy looked at her. "Clothes? Toys? Diapers?"

"Pete's father gave us some clothes."

"That's nice of him."

Addison nodded. "They gave us a crib and pram as well."

"How generous." Bizzy nodded. "Maybe we should have dinner with his parents while I'm here. Yeah, I think we should."

"Erm, it's just his father and his wife." Addison glanced at her mother.

"What about his mother?"

"She's not in the picture."

"Oh." Bizzy nodded slowly. "Right. Well, dinner with his father then."

Addison nodded and glanced out of the French doors to the ocean. Bizzy took another sip of her tea and looked around the living room quietly.

That night after dinner Addison had gone upstairs to take a bath. Pete stayed downstairs to clean up the kitchen. Bizzy walked into the kitchen and watched him silently from the doorway.

He glanced up after a while and looked at her. "Is there anything you need?"

"No." She shook her head. "I don't think so."

"Has Addison showed you the guest room yet?"

"Yes. She showed me earlier."

"Okay." Pete nodded. "Good."

"So, Pete," Bizzy began as she walked further into the room. "You're marrying my daughter."

"I am." He nodded once more as he dried up the dishes.

"I was not aware that the two of you were in a relationship." Bizzy titled her head to the side and looked at him.

"We weren't."

She raised an eyebrow at him. "You were not in a relationship but you proposed?"

"We've spent a lot of time together these past few months, I've been in love with her for a long time," he tried to explain. "I didn't want to waste any more time."

"So the baby has nothing to do with it?" she asked.

"No." Pete shook his head. "I want to marry Addison because I love her."

"So neither my daughter or my granddaughter is ever going to want for anything, are they?"

"No, I'll make sure they always have everything they need."

"Good." Bizzy nodded. "Good." Pete nodded as well and looked at the older woman. "Seeing as the two of you are having a baby together and are getting married I think it's only fair that I meet your father."

"My father?" Pete looked at her unsure for a moment. "I'll talk to him."

"We should all sit down together and have dinner. That way we can discuss the wedding."

"I'll ask him if he's free this week." He nodded.

"Good." Bizzy nodded as well and gave a brief smile. "There's a lot of work to be done."

"I know," Pete agreed. "We'll probably wait until after the birth, though."

"You should start planning now."

"We still have the baby to concentrate on and I have to sell my house. Addison and I haven't really talked about the wedding yet."

Bizzy pursed her lips together as she studied him.

"We'll start planning as soon as we have time and know what we want."

"Hmm."

Pete looked at her before he turned to the sink and dried his hands before hanging the towel up.

Addison climbed into bed next to Pete that night and curled up to his side. He smiled softly and wrapped his arms around her before he placed a kiss on the top of her head.

"Hmm," she murmured contently and rested her head on his chest.

"Your mum seems really eager on starting to plan our wedding," Pete spoke softly after a while.

Addison sighed and looked up at him. "She didn't get chance to with my last one," she admitted quietly.

"Oh." He nodded.

"Derek's mother took charge and he didn't want Bizzy to help plan at all."

"Do you want her to help plan our wedding?"

Addison looked at Pete slightly sheepishly. "Would you mind if she did?"

"No." He shook his head slightly. "If she wants to help she can."

"Obviously we have the last say I just…I feel guilty," Addison admitted.

"Was your first wedding the way you wanted it?"

"It was…" she searched for the right word. "It was a dream wedding, just not necessarily mine."

"Okay." Pete nodded slowly, thinking about what she said.

"It was big. There were people there I had never met before and never would again. I didn't want to spend my special day with those people. It was so big I only really saw Derek when we got married, when we cut the cake and for our first dance. I then didn't see him again until we went to bed."

"Do you still want your dream wedding?"

"My dream wedding?" Addison looked up at Pete. "To be honest, I don't have a dream wedding anymore. I gave it up after I married Derek. I didn't think I'd ever get married again so I haven't though about it since."

"Okay." He nodded again. "That makes sense."

"What's yours?"

"I never had a dream wedding, I think." Pete thought about it. "But if I could choose it would be just you and me."

"Bizzy suggested getting married on the beach." Addison watched his expression. "And then the reception here at the house. I like that idea. We could just invite family and close friends."

"I hadn't thought of that."

"Me either. What do you think?"

"I'd really like that. It would be intimate."

"So you think it's a good idea?" She smiled softly. "I think it would be perfect for us."

"It really would be," he agreed and smiled back. "Let's get married on the beach."

Addison grinned and propped herself up slightly. "I can't wait."

"Me either." Pete smiled at her and cupped her cheek with one hand. "How about June?"

"That sounds good." She nodded. "The baby will be five months by then."

"We can start planning the details after the birth."

"We can," Addison agreed and laid her head back on his chest before she gave a yawn.

Pete wrapped his arms back around her and softly rubbed her bump with one of them. "I love you," he spoke softly.

"And we love you," she whispered sleepily. He smiled softly and shifted so he could rub her back as she slowly began to drift off, calming her.


End file.
